Poultry producers face higher costs

The Keel-billed Toucan may be Belize’s national bird … but in this country, chicken is king. Tonight News Five’s Kendra Griffith takes a closer look at the latest developments in the industry.

Kendra Griffith, Reporting
According to the Belizean Poultry Association, in 2007 each Belizean consumed approximately one hundred and ten pounds of chicken … that’s twice the per capita consumption by Latin Americans and thirty-seven percent more than the Caribbean average of eighty pounds.

Orlando Habet, Manager, Belize Poultry Association
“Beef has its own market, pork has its own market and people will consume those products, but chicken apart from the price, the tenderness, the easiness to prepare, will have an advantage.”

Belizeans may have made pollo so popular that at their Annual General Meeting, the B.P.A. reports it slaughtered over eight million broilers, producing twenty-nine million pounds of meat and contributing an estimated sixty-one million dollars to the G.D.P.

Orlando Habet
“There was a slight decrease in the consumption for maybe about four or five days but it went right back to normal, because what happens is that even though there is a price hike is still less than half the price of other meats so people still consume the poultry because it still is the cheapest source of protein for them.”

Bernhard Bergen, Chairman, Belize Poultry Association
“In 2007 there were three major increases, taking wholesale chicken from one-sixty-five to one seventy-seven to one-eighty-four and finally to an average of two dollars and four cents per pound. It was the only way producers would be able to remain in production.”

But as the cost of feed and diesel continues to go up, producers say they may soon have to consider another price hike.

Orlando Habet
“More than likely, eventually the prices will have to go up because the producers will not be able to sustain the prices or at least the costs for too long. We try to work along with the government so the prices that go to the consumer don’t go up too much because then it allows—if the prices in Belize are too high it tends to … people start looking to our neighbours in Mexico, Chetumal, or Guatemala to contraband or illegal importation.”

While chicken is Belize’s favourite, its eggs aren’t and the association is looking for new ways to crack the market.

Orlando Habet
“The consumption is very low, especially when you compare it to the rest of Central America, the rest of the region, even when we look at Mexico which is the highest consumer of table eggs in the world, it’s close to three hundred seventy eggs per person per year, we are just a little bit over a hundred, a hundred and five eggs per person per year. We want to this year commence or at least continue with a campaign for table eggs consumption because the nutrition you can get from egg is very high.”

And for those worried about the cholesterol factor, Habet says eggs can be a part of a healthy diet.

Orlando Habet
“The cholesterol in eggs is minimal. People who do not have a cholesterol problem can safely eat one or two eggs per day. If you have a cholesterol problem then it’s not advisable that you eat too many eggs. The cholesterol in eggs is only in the yolk but the nutritional qualities of the egg far out weight the negative part of the cholesterol.”

Kendra Griffith
“You all are saying then that you do have the eggs to supply an increased demand? Because I know there are certain times of the year when it is scarce.”

Orlando Habet
“What the producers have to do is strike a balance because if they put in more pullets to produce table eggs they will have enough for Christmas, maybe January but in February and maybe the rest of the year then the consumption falls to the normal rates and when the producers have too many table eggs they have to destroy them, they can’t sell them.”

With the future on their minds, the B.P.A. is encouraging local producers to branch out into the processed meat industry.

Orlando Habet
“The products that are coming in right now pay a tariff on the imported products. There is very little important raw chicken coming in. so what is happening is that as people are becoming more affluent they start consuming ready to eat or ready to cook products and eventually they take up a large part of the poultry market so the processors will have to look at it seriously because otherwise they will lose a large part of their market.”

One man who took that advice seriously is breeder turn processor, Frank Banman.

Frank Banman, Owner, Eurobel Delight
“There was a time in ’91 I could not get rid of my hens and somebody told me we need a sausage factory and then I told somebody I don’t have the experience and somebody told me do it and you’ll have the experience.”

After a six year hiatus from the business, Banman’s Eurobel Delight, is now manufacturing regular and smoked chicken sausages as well as chicken and beef patties. The products are available select stores in Belmopan, San Ignacio, and Belize City, but may soon be coming to a freezer near you.

Frank Banman
“We are now in Spanish Lookout, the room I am doing this is a room of fifteen by sixteen foot and I have four freezers and those freezers are suffering in that little room so I have to build larger where the freezers can be separate in a dry place. We are right now in the process of moving to Belmopan there to build a little larger. Hopefully, thereafter we will be able to spread a little more.”

The B.P.A. estimates that some two thousand persons are employed by the poultry industry. Kendra Griffith reporting for News Five.