Poultry producers welcome budget measures

…say will help industry recover from tremendous losses

The Guyana Poultry Producers Association (GPPA) on Friday expressed its gratitude to President Dr Irfaan Ali for the budget measures announced to sustain the industry.

GPPA, which represents thousands of small, medium and large-scale farmers countrywide, said that it is aware that the current economic situation, which is further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has led to difficult circumstances and challenges for the Government and so these measures are greatly appreciated.
These measures, the Association added, will go a long way toward helping the industry to recover from the tremendous losses felt in the first half of 2020.
“These important measures will benefit the non-traditional agricultural sector immensely and we hope that the industry will use these concessions in an effort to make the sector more efficient and ultimately benefit the consumer,” GPPA stated, adding that the incentives for the large-scale cultivation of corn and soya bean can be a transformative development for the livestock industry in the Caribbean.
On Monday, during the presentation of the emergency budget, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill, who has responsibility for Finance, said that with regards to reducing production costs, VAT has already been removed on key inputs in the poultry industry, in addition to reverting it to zero-rated status, and incentives have been created for the production of corn and soybeans, key feedstock inputs. He added that there has already been the removal of VAT on fertilisers, agrochemicals, pesticides, and key inputs in the poultry industry and zero-rating of the poultry industry.
“In order to ensure that all inputs into poultry production are made affordable, with effect from October 1st, 2020, there will be no VAT on fertilisers, agrochemicals, pesticides and key inputs in the poultry sector including poultry feed, building materials and packaging. We will also be reverting the poultry industry to zero-rated VAT status,” the Minister said, adding that this will boost the sector’s production across small, medium and large-scale producers. “Poultry farmers across the country can now accelerate expansion plans so that they can take advantage of the increased demand for poultry while keeping prices to consumers affordable,” he added.