Consumers facing difficulty finding chicken at some retail outlets are being told to expect relief in the coming weeks, with the Ministry of Agriculture saying increased chicken availability is expected to enter the production pipeline within the next two weeks.
In a media statement, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Ravi Ratiram yesterday said the current shortage of poultry supplies is being closely monitored and is the result of a combination of factors, including exceptionally hot weather, rather than a fundamental shortage of production capacity.
The ministry said chicken remains available on the market, although some consumers may be experiencing difficulty obtaining their usual quantities at particular supermarkets and retail outlets.
Ratiram’s assurance comes as poultry farmers told Guardian Media they have been forced to reduce the number of birds being placed on farms to cope with the extreme heat in recent months.
The minister said exceptionally hot weather has placed significant pressure on poultry production, forcing farmers to introduce additional heat-management measures and, in some cases, reduce bird placements to protect livestock.
He said those reductions are a prudent response to the weather conditions.
“Temporary reductions in placement are a prudent measure to protect bird welfare, maintain healthy growth and minimise heat-related losses,” Ratiram said.
The minister warned that farmers maintaining normal stocking levels during extreme heat could face increased mortality and reduced production.
“As weather conditions improve, placement levels are expected to return to normal,” he said.
The assurance comes amid reports from consumers of difficulty finding chicken or obtaining their usual quantities at some supermarkets and retail outlets. (See other story)
However, the minister said chicken remains available to consumers and that the ministry is closely monitoring the situation, while engaging poultry producers, hatcheries, importers and other stakeholders.
He said he has been advised that chick availability is expected to increase over the next two weeks.
That increase, however, will not translate into an immediate increase in chicken on supermarket shelves and at poultry depots.
The additional chicks must first move through the normal production cycle, with the ministry projecting that poultry supplies will progressively increase and return to full levels approximately three weeks thereafter.
The Agriculture Ministry therefore expects the current tightening of supply to ease over the coming weeks.
Farmers cut production
to protect birds
Broiler Growers’ Association president Sudesh Ramkissoon yesterday said farmers who would normally house 10,000 birds are reducing placements to as few as 7,000 to protect the birds from heat stress and avoid potentially heavy losses.
“This is the hottest part of the year and, monitoring El Niño, it would be risky to operate farms at normal capacity,” Ramkissoon said.
He said pushing farms to their normal capacity under current conditions could result in bird deaths, slower growth and poorer production.
“The risk of operating at normal capacity could result not only in losses due to heat stress but also poor production as the birds cannot deal with the heat,” he said.
Ramkissoon said the industry is also facing increasing pressure over water, with farmers having to introduce additional cooling measures, including sprinklers on poultry-house roofs.
But with water supplies restricted and ponds running low, he said farmers are now having to factor water availability into production decisions.
“Water management has become a new factor to consider as farmers have to install sprinklers in the roofs. But with restricted supply and ponds low, water management is now a factor at play,” he said.
However, Ramkissoon rejected the suggestion that the reduction in bird placements amounts to a chicken shortage.
Restaurant implements rationing
Some restaurants have confirmed they too have been impacted by the shortage.
On Tuesday, Pappy’s Fried Chicken informed customers that the brand had been impacted by the shortage via a social media post. Contacted yesterday, the company confirmed that it has had to ration chicken to keep its branches open and issued the notice to manage customer expectations.
Pappy’s director Shahinder Singh said it was not the first time there has been a shortage, but said it was unfortunate as July/August is a peak period for sales.
“We couldn’t get our normal amount for one, we normally take like 40 to 60 cases of chicken a week, and you won’t get the sizes you usually get. Even the price went up before this actually happened, so I guess they kind of knew what was happening from before,” Singh said.
“But every year they do this, to be honest. Every year there’s some kind of shortage or some kind of pullback, but they said it is expected to regulate in within two to three weeks. But it was tough. I mean, one store we were close to closing just because we didn’t have enough chicken for the two branches.”
But Prestige Holdings Limited CEO Simon Hardy said KFC and other restaurants under the company’s umbrella were not affected by the shortage, as the company had developed a strategic partnership with Arawak to avoid such situations.
On Monday, the Darul Uloom Halaal Council (DUHC) also issued a notice on shortage, advising members of the Muslim community to verify that chicken was sourced from Halal verified sources.
