The opposition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has submitted multiple questions in the National Assembly concerning the poultry industry in Guyana. These inquiries include plans to achieve meat self-sufficiency and the status of exemptions or import licenses granted following a ban on poultry products that was implemented three years ago.
APNU parliamentary leader, Dr. Terrence Campbell, is seeking clarification from Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha on whether there is a target date for when Guyana will regain self-sufficiency in poultry meat. Dr. Campbell has requested that the minister specify a date or timeframe for when local production will meet domestic demand, reducing reliance on imports.
The questions are scheduled for discussion during the National Assembly’s sitting on Friday, June 5, 2026. Dr. Campbell is also inquiring about the extent of subsidies, extension services, infrastructure, bio-security measures, and training that the Agriculture Ministry has provided or plans to provide to expedite the self-sufficiency goal.
Additionally, Dr. Campbell has filed a separate question regarding the key performance indicators that the ministry has established to track progress towards self-sufficiency. These indicators may include specific production volumes, reductions in imports, the establishment of broiler breeder or hatching egg facilities, increased self-production of feed and grain, and improved access in regional hinterlands.
Furthermore, Dr. Campbell is interested in whether any exemptions or import licenses have been issued for items such as hatching eggs, breeding stock, or emergency imports since the ban on poultry products was enacted by the Guyana Livestock Development Agency in May 2023. At that time, Minister Mustapha indicated that the ban was intended to protect local poultry farmers from chicken smuggling and to safeguard the industry against bird flu.
Source: demerarawaves.com
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