By Sue-Ann Wayow
WITH the rising cost of feed, it is no surprise that egg and poultry prices are increasing.
But, there is no cost-effective and domestically available feed supply for the poultry industry and therefore its products have to bear the burden of a higher price says agricultural economist Omardath Maharaj.
Speaking about the egg price increase that took effect on Monday, he said the demand for one of the main sources of animal protein in diets was high with about one million eggs being consumed per week.
He also said that food production problems included everyone, not just farmers and consumers.
Maharaj told AZP News, “We have failed to invest in the productive capacity of the agriculture sector to meet the needs of industry for processing and food manufacturing and therefore cannot irrationally make calls to wean-off import dependence. In that case, there will be a period of pain and God forbid, suffering among the population if our food needs and supply factors continue along its current trajectory.
“We have also failed to develop the sub-sectors in which we possess a comparative and competitive advantage such as basic fruits and vegetables, meats, eggs, dairy, provisions and rice and therefore face active competition from regional and international trade partners.”
However, if certain types of imported agri-food products can be identified to wean off, then sustainable industry development plans should be the goal as it also assists with job creation, adding value to the local economy he said.
For strategic development of meat, poultry and dairy sub-sectors consultation and collaboration of available resources which includes technical and financial becomes critical.
“This approach would have allowed stakeholders on the value chain to present their alternatives to feed and other constraints and contingency plans as operators in the industry,” Maharaj said.
Government departments such as the Sugarcane Feed Centre and Agriculture Research Division including universities and other research bases must be at the forefront at this time presenting their research and development to sustain this population, he added.
Maharaj said, “There is no cost-effective and domestically available feed supply for our poultry industry, for example. We consume over one million pounds of chicken and a similar quantum of eggs in this country per week, signifying the demand for this source of animal protein in our diets and its previously known affordability. Food production problems are not in a vacuum for farmers and consumers, it includes everyone.”
Prolonged Russian/Ukraine war affecting food prices
President of the Supermarket Association of Trinidad and Tobago Rajiv Diptee also told AZP News that given the global situation it was understandable that prices would increase.
He said, “We note that various producers of goods have had common challenges in the access to their inputs of production not least rising cost of freight, price increases globally, foreign exchange access and the increased cost of doing business.
“With the focus on table egg production, the factors would be much the same as cost of medicines, fertilisers and feeds have been increasing not least due to the war in Europe which has created a lot of volatility in global trading leading to increased prices with a high level of uncertainty entering the mix. The more prolonged the conflict, there will certainly be ramifications for vulnerable economies such as ours.”
