This follows persistent concerns expressed by poultry farmers over the influx of imported poultry products onto the market which they bemoan is seriously hampering their business.

The farmers have waged a campaign against importation of the products or at least the imposition of tarrifs on them. But Deputy Agric Minister, Dr Sugri Tia has told JOY BUSINESS that even though an outright ban would not be ruled out; there was a need to first boost local production.

“It is possible to increase tariffs but we are considering that it is not an immediate option now.”

He said the "consumption of poultry has been very low and people’s purchasing power has not been the best and we are trying to push local production whiles encouraging people to consume more. So we want to keep their appetite for chicken there."

According to the minister, the government will not want the consumption of chicken to reduce because of high cost.

"We don’t want it to go out because of the high cost chicken and the same time we don’t want our farmers to be out of production, so we are trying to find innovative ways of helping them produce locally whiles we watch what is going on because we have been reducing the quest for imports of chicken into the country."

"We are doing it not necessarily because of the tariffs but then gradually we use the tariffs to reduce the imports," he added.