Pork production recovers despite import challenges

Pork farmers are closing the year on a high note, with improved production levels reported despite increased imports during the ICC World Cup, according to the Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS), James Paul.

He suggested the industry is poised for further growth going into 2025, with the help of a governmentfunded loan initiative.
Paul told Barbados TODAY: “The numbers traded through the BAS are certainly up from last year; I would think that across the industry we did better than last year [as well]. I do not have the final statistics, but based on what we have seen in the preliminary statistics, it seems that there was some increase in production this year,” he said.

“This is a good thing because it shows there are more people getting involved in the industry.”
Paul said the $2 million loan from the government being distributed to farmers through the BAS is also having some impact. Through the loan scheme, pork farmers can borrow up to $50 000 to expand their farms.

“I have seen people come in to expand on their operations, and I think in time we will see more animals coming through based on what is happening. I think we can expect this growth going forward in the new year,” the BAS head said. “The only thing that would impact negatively on that is the imports. There are some categories of pork that are being allowed into the country at low duty rates. That is a negative because local farmers cannot compete with the price that pork is being sold for.

That could put local farmers at a disadvantage, and it is a disadvantage to expansion, so that is something we have to be careful of.”

Barbados TODAY reached out several times to Henderson Williams, the president of the Barbados Pig Farmers’ Association, a subsidiary of the BAS, and the president of the Barbados Pig Farmers Cooperative Society, Steven Cumberbatch for comments on the development. Numerous calls were not returned.

Ahead of the June T20 cricket tournament, Williams said the production of domestic pork had reduced by seven per cent and the island had to scale up imports.

“Production is down. We have seen a reduction in terms of our local production and, obviously, if we are not producing as much, it justifies the need to import,” he said then.

During that period, multiple small farmers were complaining that the imports were impacting their sales and suggested that at least 20 to 25 per cent of the local market was being taken up by imported pork of lower quality.

sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb