Chicken shortage: Christmas, bonus, ease in COVID restrictions caused high demand

There has been a noticeable shortage in poultry supply across the country, sparking public frustration and the high cost of stocks currently available.

According to the Guyana Poultry Association (GPA), this is a direct result of the high demand last Christmas.

“The demand was very high in December and that put pressure on the industry into the new year,” David Fernandes, GPA Executive and the Assistant Managing Director of Bounty Farm Limited, explained to the News Room on Thursday.

President of the Association Patrick DeGroot had told the News Room back in December that enough hatching eggs were procured to supply the holiday season.

But what was not expected, Fernandes said, was the amount of events that followed, including the International Energy Conference 2022, held at the Guyana Marriott Hotel last month.

Many citizens took to social media to echo concerns that chicken was missing from several supermarkets and corner stores across the country.

“The demand has really been high…you can imagine with the bonuses given out to the public sector last year, which was great, but it really put pressure on the industry to supply the demand.

“The fast-food industry has been booming again with COVID-19 restrictions now being lifted so we have had to make adjustments but it does not happen overnight,” he explained.

Now, Fernandes said that more hatching eggs have been imported and the situation is expected to return to normal by the start of April.

“When you order hatching eggs, it takes three weeks to hatch and six weeks to grow. So we are in that process of actually getting to that place where we need to be as an industry, between supply and demand,” he added.

Bounty Farm Limited produces 38 per cent of the local demand for poultry products. Mohamed’s Farm on the East Bank of Demerara which produces the products branded Royal Chicken, follows closely behind to supply the local market.