There will be no shortage of eggs, chickens or turkeys this Yuletide season.
This assurance has come from president of the Barbados Egg and Poultry Association (BEPPA), Carlyle Brathwaite, who said that far from there being a shortage, there was in excess of more than 40 000 kilos of turkeys available to satisfy the high demand during the usually hectic Christmas season.
Speaking at a BEPPA seminar at the Barbados Yacht Club yesterday, he said there was absolutely no need for Barbadians to panic, as farmers had been able to meet the demands. So much so, he said, that the poultry would be available right through to Easter next year.
“This year, our farmers have worked extremely hard in an effort to be able to provide Barbadians with eggs, chickens and turkey for the upcoming Christmas season,” Brathwaite said.
He said that prior to his elevation to the post of BEPPA president in September, there had been questions raised about the availability of turkeys for Christmas, but he explained that was due to what he referred to as a “bad patch”.
“There was a time when there was a reduction of turkeys which were available to small farmers. This was because those persons did not make the necessary agreements to purchase turkeys at a particular time, and therefore this resulted in them not receiving turkeys,” Brathwaite said.He noted that along with the bigger producers who had signed agreements and were able to get their turkeys hatched, other farmers had also signed on, resulting in adequate numbers being produced to satisfy the market. (RB)
