Lethem has resumed importing chicken from Brazil after a temporary halt was instituted mid-July.

Following the episode, the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) has emphasised that all agriculture imports must meet relevant health requirements, citing the “worrying practice” of products entering without meeting Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures (SPS).

Alfred Ramsarran, President of the Rupununi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told Stabroek News that he received word from Minister of Commerce, Manniram Prashad that chicken imports would be allowed once they are intended for consumption in Region Nine. Asked if any written communication was received to this effect, Ramsarran explained that he had a telephone conversation with the minister but he was told that Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) officials had received written advice.

Residents were relieved that imports could resume. Many of them reported that they travelled four miles to Bon Fim on several occasions during the last week to obtain their poultry supplies. “Now we will just buy our chicken right here in Lethem. The ride was hard,” a middle-aged housewife said.

Last Friday, the MoA advised that in light of the reports and queries about importation from Brazil to Guyana via Lethem, all agricultural products are subjected to SPS rules and requirements that local producers have to meet when exporting. SPS measures set out basic rules for food safety and animal and plant health standards and are applied to protect human, animal or plant life or health. Earlier, the MoA said imports are subjected to meeting sanitary requirements and fulfilling the GRA’s requirements for trade but noted it had not received any application for phytosanitary certificates from persons in the area to import poultry meat. However, it remains unclear why certificates are now required since there has been little restriction on the trade between Lethem and Brazil for some time now.

According to the MoA, after many years Guyana has been declared free of Foot and Mouth Disease without vaccination but the Brazilian border state is not. “…Therefore, Guyanese must be vigilant to ensure that this does not compromise Guyana’s status for this could terribly set back the livestock industry,” it added. Further, it said that while there are existing trade agreements that allow some duty-free goods, “SPS requirements are a must and the Ministry of Agriculture will not allow this principle to be violated.” It said too that the application of regulations is not restricted to the border at Lethem but all points of entry into Guyana, including Moleson Creek and all airports.
‘Investment risks’

The MoA also said farmers and other entrepreneurs in Region Nine are encouraged to pursue business opportunities associated with poultry production. In this regard, it said it has been working closely with interested farmers to develop their ventures and it is willing to support large scale poultry enterprises which will create jobs and other opportunities for farmers and other residents in Region Nine.

However, residents told Stabroek News that while the idea of rearing poultry on a large/medium scale basis is good, it would be an expensive venture with risks that include poor transport, inadequate power supply, disease and the lack of knowledge about poultry rearing. As a result, most businesspersons believe that unless the government creates a more conducive investment climate for such ventures, it will always be cheaper to import chicken.

A Lethem businessman, who requested anonymity, was disappointed at some of the comments that Stabroek News’ original article on the situation attracted from readers on its website. He said some of the comments were ill-informed and that those readers, especially those in the Diaspora, need to come home and see things for themselves before commenting on things they know nothing about. He informed that some of the readers are trapped in a time warp and see everything through the political eye. “This is about bread and butter, not politics,” he retorted.

The businessman noted that one reader wrote that Lethem residents were lazy, while another accused them of depending too much on imports from Brazil. “Those persons do not understand the climate in which we exist in Guyana,” he said.

He added that the issue is not about rearing yard fowls, it is about food security and the risks involved in obtaining it. “There are virtually no guarantees from the government that our risks will be covered, just look at what happened to the fiasco with CLICO, and you will see why investors are not taking certain risks,” he said.

He further cited the cost of setting up such an investment and the resultant transportation costs associated with the venture. “Read the news today, the road (to Lethem) is no good. Who in their right minds will invest millions of dollars when a proper road is not guaranteed?” he asked. He said the risks involved are too high and investors do not have the right coverage to recoup losses. He also cited the unreliable electricity situation as another hindrance to investment. “If you are going to get involved in chicken on a large scale then the electricity situation needs to be revamped, or overhauled entirely,” he said. “So those people in the US or Canada, or wherever they are writing from, can talk and criticise all they want, we live here and we know the situation.“

He said that to get into chicken on a small scale will be foolhardy and will result in a loss. “If you are going to rear 200 and 300 birds, you might as well forget it. We need thousands of birds to ensure food security. One bout of disease can wipe out your entire brood. Can the ordinary man in Lethem afford that? The answer is definitely no,” he said. “Ordinary folk can’t even get a loan from the bank, what these people talking about.”