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The Largest Agri Industry in CARICOM

Key Poultry Statistics

Key Table Egg Statistics

Historical Statistics

CARICOM Production & Trade

Growth Opportunities

 

The Largest Agro Industry in CARICOM

The Caribbean Poultry Industry makes an important contribution to the regional economy in the following ways-

  1. Comparison of Key Agro Industry Ex Factory Sales 2004
    Poultry Production - 410 m USD
    Sugar Production - 300 m USD
    Rice Production - 150 m USD
    Banana Production - 75 m USD
    Table Eggs - 60 m USD
    Citrus Production  - 50 m USD

  2. The Caribbean Poultry Markets are characterized by high and growing levels of per capita chicken consumption, driven in part by the expansion of the fast food retailers and increasing levels of pre-cut, chilled, and value added products being offered to the market by broiler processors. 

    The Industry plays an important role in rural development by virtue of the significant amount of employment it offers and its strong linkages to other agri-food and other service industries in the region.

    • Sales Value & Growth
      In 2004 the industry produced 130,000,000 broilers valued at 410 m USD in exfactory sales which makes it the largest argo industry in CARICOM. In 2000 the contribution to manufacturing and agricultural GDP has estimated to be 135 m USD. Moreover, unlike many other agro-industries the poultry sector has grown by over 30% in the last 10 years.
  1. Agro Food Industry Diversification
    • Regional Production
      Production is spread across the region with the eight largest states each producing 40 - 100 % of their own domestic consumption. All caricom states produce over 90% of the table egg requirements.
    • Manuturing Units
      • 15 commercial broiler processors
      • 25 hatcheries
      • 25 feed mills in the region.
    • Production Units
      • 4,000 small independent processors
      • 3,000 commercial broiler farmers and 10,000 small farmers
    • Investment
      • Asset base - The replacement value of the investment in the industry is estimated to be in the order of 300+ m USD
      • Recurrent Investment - An additional 10 - 15 m USD is being invested every year to improve capacity and efficiencies.
      • Equity - Most of equity in the industry is local.
    • Industry Linkages

      • The industry has important linkages to other agro-industries, such as,
      • Corn - 25,000 acres of corn in Belize
      • Rice - 24,000 of rice in Guyana and Suriname
      • Soya bean meal processing in Trinidad & Tobago / Barbados
      • Feed mills - Poultry offal meal is produced by most poultry processors for use in livestock feeds
      • Scale economics - for the production of other livestock feeds.
      • Oils & fats - Coconut oil in Guyana / spent fast food fat in Jamaica.
      • Vegetables - 20,000 MT/Yr of manure are produced for vegetable farmers
      • Input Supplies & Services - Packaging, transportation, finance
    • Meeting Consumer Needs
      Processors have been increasing the range and quality of chilled, pre-cut, pre-prepared pre-cooked products being offered to consumers, and in several states prices have been trending downwards.

  2. Agro Industry Linkages
    Corn in Belize - 25,000 Acres
    Rice in Guyana / Suriname / Trinidad - 24,000 Acres
    Soya Bean Meal  in Trinidad / Barbados - 3 Plants
    Spent Fat in Jamaica / Trinidad - Coconut Oil in Guyana - N/A
    Poultry / Fish Meal Jamaica/ Guyana / Barbados / Trinidad / Belize - N/A
    Manure Produced for Vegetable Farming - 20,000 MT

  3. Rural Development
    • A significant amount small producers are involved in broiler production as is borne out in Jamaica where some 10,000 small farmers account for 30% of local consumption. This is made possible in part because of the well developed input supply systems created by the larger commercial operators which extends into the rural communities.

  4. Regional Food Security
    • Importance in local diet
      Per capita consumption of chicken in 2004 in the Caribbean is 46 Kg per annum, on par with the USA (for chicken only) and above the average of industrialized countries at 24 Kg per capita and developing countries at 9.00 kg per capita. Poultry comprises over 86% of the regions meat consumption compared to 40% - 60% for most industrialized countries.
    • Strategic production of food
      65% of chicken and 50% of animal protein consumed in the region is produced by the industry.
    • Employment
      It provides direct employment for over 30,000 people not including employment in the production of associated corn, rice and supporting services.
    • Rural Protein Distribution
      The existence of local rural production improves distribution of food into rural areas.
    • Foreign Exchange
      Foreign exchange savings are realized where local rice, corn, protein meals and fats are used, especially in Belize, Guyana and Suriname
    • Food Storage
      The industry provides one of the few strategic storage systems for food in the region, in the form of the of the grain terminal and feed mill silos which can hold between 6 - 12 weeks supply of grain in the larger CARICOM states.