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Posted: Friday 26 May, 2017 at 2:59 PM

Director implies poultry feed shortage at Agri Dept.; but not throughout Federation

Director of Agriculture Melvin James
By: Jermine Abel, SKNVibes.com

    BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – FOLLOWING a recently-published report by SKN Pulse, which stated that there might be a shortage of poultry feed at the Department of Agriculture in St. Kitts, a senior official at the entity confirmed that that might have been the case but noted there are other suppliers in the Federation. 

     

    The report, which quoted former Deputy Chairperson of the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party and caretaker for Constituency Eight, Dr. Terrance Drew, stated that the shortage of  poultry feed had resulted in the death of many egg-producing chickens in St. Kitts.
     
    Dr. Drew laid blame squarely at the feet of the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. Eugene Hamilton, and the Department of Agriculture for the dead and dying layers largely due in part to them not being able to provide adequate supply of feed.
     
    The young doctor, who lost to Minister Hamilton at the last election, noted that he had received complaints from farmers about their layers dying.
     
    “They have been telling me that their chickens are dying,” Drew said. “The Ministry of Agriculture under the leadership of its Minister, Hon. Eugene Hamilton, does not have chicken feed and pig feed, and the farmers are hurting.”
     
    Contacted for a comment on if there is or was a shortage of feed at the Department, Director of Agriculture Melvin James responded in the negative and claimed that the Department had been keeping up with its regular overseas’ orders.
     
    Contrastingly, however, he insinuated that it could have been a case of delayed supply.
     
    “When we talk about a shortage of feed, I think it is not as straightforward as that. Because, the frequency with which the Department purchases feed, we have kept it for the sometime now; in that sometimes you may order feed and you expect the container and, for one reason or the other, it may not always arrive on time. Sometimes the carrier – Tropical - may not find it convenient to bring the container and sometimes the manufacturers have issues. And so that is a factor to be considered, but the rate at which we bring in containers of feed has been consistent for the better part of the year.”
     
    Pressed for a direct answer to the question, James told SKNVibes that it could have been a case where the Ministry was out of stock, but quickly added that there are other suppliers in the Federation.
     
    “What I think you are referring to is a situation where some farmers found themselves out of stock; whether it was because we don’t always have. But there are two other suppliers, one on Nevis and there is another on St. Kitts.
     
    “So, I think we need to look at the total supply. However, I understand that some persons who have been purchasing from us would want to see us as their sole supplier, because the feed here is likely to be much cheaper than elsewhere.”
     
    SKNVibes understands that several farmers had criticized the Minister of Agriculture for his handling of this particular issue. 
     
    But according to James, if those farmers who suffered losses had formally sought advice from the relevant authorities at the Department, adequate alternatives would have been found to address their concerns.


     
     
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