Protecting the local poultry industry

JAMAICA - The recent outcry from producers and suppliers of chicken parts of unfair and illegal competition seems to have been supported by information to the Ministry of Agriculture from American exporters.

It now appears that for every permit granted by the ministry for the importation of just over eight million kilograms of chicken necks and backs, the same amount of leg quarters has been imported in their stead. This suggests a highly sophisticated and organised fraud among several players.

It is good that the ministry is on to these surreptitious attempts to undercut local production but it is also important that this fraud be followed through to the point of arrest and conviction and imposition of fines as stipulated under the law.

It is unlikely that all the imported leg quarters would be going to one or just a few importers, but eight million kilograms of leg quarters is still a lot of chicken parts and therefore not easily hidden.

So, while the trail may be difficult to follow it is still not impossible to determine where they are going. The cooperation of the American authorities should be sought to determine to whom the United States-based exporters sold the meat.

Source: jamaica-gleaner.com
calendar icon 27 June 2005
clock icon 1 minute read
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