Food security ‘in peril’, say Dems, urging action on poultry shortage

The ongoing chicken shortage, along with the increasing need to import a broad range of produce due to scarcity on the island are worrying signs of a potential food insecurity issue that requires urgent attention, the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) spokesperson on agriculture, Amoy Gilding-Bourne told journalists on  Thursday.

Her comments during a press conference led by Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne, come amid a prolonged poultry shortage affecting fast-food chains and supermarkets. She noted that much like the fishing industry—which recently suffered significant setbacks from Hurricane Beryl damaging several vessels—agriculture as a whole is in a highly precarious state and urgently requires intervention.

She said: “Our food insecurity is a huge problem right now in Barbados, and it is a serious concern that we need to give more traction to. If we are not careful, within two years we are going to have some serious problems. The fishing industry and farming go hand in hand—yes, [Agriculture] Minister [Indar] Weir has told us that we are having some issues with the chicken shortages, but never in the history of Barbadian poultry have we had this sort of issue.

“The industry has found itself in a very precarious situation, and while I am not adding to the blame game, I want to know what the government has planned. Yes, importing chicken may be a quick fix, but what is the long-term solution?”

The DLP spokesperson also questioned the government’s decision to send a delegation to Canada after the storm to inspect boats for domestic use, arguing that Canadian vessels may not be suited to withstand the region’s climate conditions, particularly with the challenges caused by climate change.

She declared: “Canada is a cold climate. Some persons have indicated that some of the boats they are interested in are not suitable for the tropics. They have isolated cabins, which in itself causes problems relative to movement in and out, and the heat—we’ve been told temperatures are going to soar for the next three months in excess. We have to have better resilience to this climate change.”

Vendor Afua Morrison, who joined the press conference, said produce prices continue to rise with no end in sight.

“I’ve been living in Barbados for over 30-something years, and farming gone down so bad,” said Morrison. “Right now they are bringing in food and vegetables from out of Barbados—St Vincent, Saint Lucia, Dominica and the [United] States. The food that is coming from the States is very expensive: 25 pounds of tomatoes is $160, six pounds of peppers is 40-something dollars right now.” (SB)