The layer farmers, who are represented by the Layer Farmers’ Association, are the grassroots of our nation. We have been consistently supplying our country with fresh, wholesome, healthy eggs for over 40 years.
Contrary to the statements that have been released over the last day or so, to date, there has never been a single incident of disease or bacterial contamination on our farms.
The same cannot be said about imported eggs, however, where bacterial outbreaks on poultry farms are always on the news with the eggs being recalled.
Our eggs leave our farms within days of them being produced, while imported eggs can be as old as 10 months before they reach our shores.
By that time, their nutritional value has been severely compromised and is lacking the guaranteed freshness of those of locally produced eggs.
We wish to clarify recent statements concerning the Cabinet notes on egg pricing. At our recent meeting, we requested more time to consult with our members before making any further commitments.
The Layer Farmers Association never agreed to a price freeze. Instead, we proposed maintaining the price at $14 per dozen until a comprehensive audit is conducted within the next 60 days. Following this, we will return to the negotiating table.
We also acknowledge the government’s promise since 4th June, 2022 to support local farmers. The 25% discount on APUA water bills, along with the introduction of a Farmers’ ID card, are positive steps.
This ID card will grant discounts on ABST on essential items, such as building materials, crucial for constructing and maintaining chicken pens and farmlands, which will in turn help reduce the high cost of egg production.
The benefits of the ID card will also extend to auto dealers, and solar power suppliers as some farms are without access to proper roads and utilities.
However, neither the promised 25% water discount nor the ID card have come into fruition, and the farmers have been absorbing the higher prices over the years into our cost of production.
It’s important to emphasize that local layer farmers are not responsible for the high prices seen in supermarkets. These inflated prices are driven by importers, not by local farmers who only see, at best, a 3.1% markup on our eggs.
Retailers, motivated by profit margins, set their prices with a 20% markup and without any push back from the authorities.
Our priority has always been, and will continue to be, the health and well-being of our people, and we are committed to providing eggs at the lowest possible cost.
However, we urgently need more substantial and sustainable subsidies to offset our daily operational costs.
Lastly, we want to address the repeated misquoting of our statements, which has been circulated twice this week. Such inaccuracies can harm the livelihoods of countless layer farmers, their families, and the farms’ employees.
We urge the media and the public to ensure that circulated information is accurate in its content, as it directly impacts not only the farming community but also the nation’s food security.
All of the egg producers in Antigua and Barbuda remain dedicated to delivering fresh, safe, and affordable eggs to our people.
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No one is in business to lose money. Therefore if it becomes un-profitable for a certain business to exist, the best thing to do is to close the business. Why put the stress on government to keep your business open. That is not how Free Enterprise works. Again if the government has to subsidize every business where will we be. It is best Government start running their own lawyer farm. Government subsidizes the hotel industry with lots of concessions, because in the end it is a win win situation. They bring tourist, who spend money and provide us with hard currency. Foreign Exchange. And the tourists pay taxes.
The Lawyer farmers have not that cloud to negotiate those type of concessions. They could not even keep up with the supply of eggs during the SIDS conference. And their solution was for the government to grant them import license in order for them to import eggs. Farmers are very selfish. CMC was establish to market their products, yet they all take their products straight to the hotels and the supermarkets. talking about self enrichment at the expense of the government. They want all sorts of subsidies but never want to give account for anything. Their books are not even audited and when the government proposes to have them work with an independent accounting firm they refuse to do so. Just bring all your eggs to CMC for $12.00 and I’ll bet you CMC will sell it for $13.00, because the business model is not to make profit.
CBH needs to start doing their work. Eggs need to be kept in a refrigerated area. That is where they are kept in the supermarket. I once visited a chicken farm and I was surprise that this was not the practice. The egg were packed in cartons and then in boxes and left for hours in the hot sunny area. And then transported either to the supermarket or to the market. Market vendors do not have cold storage for their eggs neither and they have their eggs displayed in the hot sun again for hours. Antigua is blessed that we do not have a large outbreak of the salmonella bacteria. But the food handlers training should have thought everyone involved in the sale of eggs that this practice is very dangerous and is very risky for public health. The people at CBH know this but like always they wait for something to happen and then they will run and do something. Mr. PM please take note of this practice. It is a big health risk.