ROBERT LEVY, chief executive officer of the Jamaica Broilers Group has confirmed that consumers will not have to pay more for chicken meat produced under the company's popular Best Dressed Chicken brand.Jamaica Broilers is Jamaica's largest supplier of chicken, holding about 60 per cent of the lucrative poultry market.
In interviews with The Sunday Gleaner, Mr. Levy said there will neither be an increase in prices nor shortage of the meat, following Thursday's announcement that imported chicken will attract a 260 per cent duty as of May.
"The demand for chicken is being met by Jamaican producers and prices have been stable, therefore there would not be any shortage of chicken, or increase in prices," Mr. Levy emphasised.
With credit to local and regional poultry industries, Mr. Levy revealed that a recent study conducted by the Caribbean Poultry Association showed that Jamaica is the most efficient poultry producer in the Caribbean.
Mr. Levy was supportive of the increase in the duty on imported chicken because of the unfair market conditions with which the local poultry industry has had to contend. The United States sells chicken parts to Jamaica at prices that are way below the production costs of local chicken. Jamaica, on the other hand, is not able to export chicken to the U.S.
"We have had an efficient industry but the market situation has not been fair. The Government was right in moving to defend poultry production here in Jamaica," Mr. Levy emphasised.
