Chicken shortage should ease by weekend, says supplier

One of the country's largest chicken producers, Jamaica Broilers, says it expects that the current shortage of chicken on the market should begin to ease by the end of the week.

Wholesalers and consumers have been complaining that they have not been able to get chicken in desired quantities and that prices have been inflated in some instances.

There had been reports that the agriculture ministry would this week disclose strategies the Government will be putting in place to address the current shortage of chicken meat.

However, speaking on Real Business on Power 106 FM this morning, Vice-president in charge of finance at Jamaica Broilers, Ian Persaud, said consumers do not have to worry as things should start getting back to normal by the weekend.

He also said Jamaica Broilers has not raised its prices on chicken meat.

At the end of last year, the suppliers explained that the shortage was fuelled by an unusually high demand over the Christmas season.

Meanwhile, the country’s other major chicken supplier, Caribbean Broilers, says it could take up to three weeks for things to return to normal.

The company’s corporate affairs manager, Dr Keith Amiel says while supplies from Caribbean Broilers will return to normal within a week, it will take a while longer for things to normalise at retailers.

Dr Amiel says the shortage of chicken meat has been fuelled by panic that there is not enough of the protein on the market.

He says persons have been stocking up instead of buying their usual amounts.

The Caribbean Broilers Executive has stated that a survey conducted recently showed that chicken represents 88 percent of the meat being consumed locally.