JAS warns against removal of import duties on some chicken parts

 

The Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) says the investment made by more than 150,000 small farmers will be placed in great jeopardy if the government goes ahead with the removal of duties from imported chicken leg quarters. 

 

On Tuesday, Agriculture Minister Pearnel Charles Jr announced that the move is being considered by his ministry to help ease the burden on consumers amid rising prices for poultry products.

 

But the head of the JAS, Lenworth Fulton, says many Jamaicans who lost their jobs at the start of the pandemic and turned to poultry production will see their markets eliminated if this is implemented.

 

He is imploring Mr. Charles to have broad consultation across the industry to better understand the ramifications of the decision. 

 

"I think that he is going to decide against it in the long run, because the benefit of removing the duty, one of them will get cheaper chicken, but what quality chicken? The other thing is that the importers will make a killing. Thirdly, if you give permission to take in leg quarters, there's no way you can guarantee that whole chicken won't come into those containers too," Mr. Fulton pointed out.  

 

He further explained that while larger poultry companies may withstand the impact of the measure, small farmers will not be able to offset the devastation, even with the $50 million subsidy to they had been granted.

 

Additionally, Mr. Fulton warned that the removal of the duties could affect other businesses. 

 

"If you remove that and the market is flooded with cheaper chicken, what will happen to our farm stores and all the other allied businesses that depend on chicken and small farmers for their existence? It's a chain reaction we will set off, which we may not be able to correct."