Some fast food chains have said that their operations are being affected by the current chicken shortage in the country.
Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), operated by Beharry Group of Companies, announced that its operations were being affected in a notice posted on its Facebook page, KFC Guyana. It said, “Due to current chicken shortages, we will (intermittently) be out of strips and wings.”
Camex Restaurants, which operates Church’s Chicken and Pollo Tropical, also said that its operations are affected.
Proprietor of the company, Terrence Campbell, yesterday said, “We have experienced shortage in breast meat for sandwiches.”
Campbell also stated that they have noticed chicken pieces from suppliers to be smaller since the shortage, which has resulted in numerous customer complaints.
At Popeyes, a similar situation is being experienced. A manager told this publication that they have been receiving smaller chicken pieces for just over a week.
The woman said the company’s suppliers have informed them of a shortage but indicated that they will be able to meet the quota ordered by her company.
Campbell believes that the broilers birds are being taken at an earlier stage by suppliers to meet the demands of the market.
He further told this newspaper that based on what was related to him, the shortage should be addressed within two weeks.
The Ministry of Agriculture and the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) have been mum on what is being done to address the situation.
Households that purchase live chicken from small vendors have also complained of a shortage of chicken. Some have indicated that while the price per a pound of chicken has increased, the sizes available are smaller.
The GLDA last week confirmed that there is a shortage of chicken meat on the market. The shortage was attributed to the reduction of hatching eggs imported as of June this year.
Information provided to Stabroek News also revealed that there has been an existing shortage of locally produced broilers for some time but it was cushioned by the smuggling of chicken from Suriname.
The hike, the source said caught vendors and producers off guard and resulted in the current shortage.
