Chicken import ban temporarily lifted amid local supply shortage

One day after, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha reported that the Government has yet to decide whether to grant permission for the importation of chicken to meet growing local demands, he later stated that a decision was taken to temporarily lift the ban to import chicken. Speaking with other sections of the media, the Minister related that the importation of chicken will be allowed for the next few weeks, as requested by the producers who assured him that they will be able to meet the local demand within the next 4 to 6 weeks. This came on the heels of a meeting with representatives from the Guyana Poultry Producers Association (GPPA) and the Minister to discuss the current shortage.

Highlighting market trends showing a decline in production levels coupled with an increase in demand for chicken, the GPPA officials sought the Government ‘s assistance in facilitating the temporary importation of chicken to help meet market demand. However, Mustapha stated on Thursday that he has yet to decide on the request. According to him, any decision will balance the interests of all stakeholders, including consumers and poultry producers, as well as the long-term sustainability of the industry. In fact, he has ordered an assessment of the current supplies in the local industry before deciding on the matter.
During the July 28 engagement, the GPPA representatives noted that the temporary importation of chicken would assist in maintaining stable market prices during the period of reduced supply and assured that once local production returns to normal levels, there would be no need for continued imports.
The Minister pointed out that despite these complaints of shortage, the Government has recently launched the tunnel-ventilated poultry project aimed at encouraging young professionals to embrace technology-driven agriculture and expand poultry production through modern, climate-controlled farming systems.
Only last month, on July 15, one of the state-of-the-art Tunnel-Ventilated Poultry Pen Projects was commissioned at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara (ECD).
The Tunnel-Ventilated Pens Project represents an investment of over GY$1 billion in infrastructure, equipment, and training and has expanded the Agriculture Innovation and Entrepreneurship Programme (AIEP) across Regions Three, Four, and Five. The project comprises five state-of-the-art poultry facilities located at Mon Repos, Cornelia Ida and Onverwagt, all of which have been completed and are currently stocked with birds that are performing exceptionally well.
Designed to international poultry production standards, each tunnel-ventilated pen accommodates between 20,000 and 45,000 birds, with broilers reaching market weight in just five to six weeks. The facilities utilise controlled-environment technology that enhances production efficiency while improving flock health and overall performance.