BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE Ministries of Agriculture and Trade are collaborating to alleviate the challenges faced by local pig farmers with their meat which is competing with those imported from Brazil.
Local farmers have complained that the imported meat is having a more favourable price structure on the local market.
Addressing a question posed by a resident during the Government’s town hall meeting in St. Peter’s on Tuesday (Aug. 16), Agriculture Minister Eugene Hamilton explained that St. Kitts and Nevis is a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and that body has certain policies in place concerning what, “we can and cannot do with relation to the importation of goods into our country”.
According to Hamilton, the imported pork retails for $5 per pound with the local meat being sold at a higher price.
Hamilton disclosed that he had been having discussions with the Minister with responsibility for Trade to see how best they can rectify the problem.
“Minister Grant and I have, over the last couple of weeks…, been trying to find a mechanism to deal with the price that you offer. We know you cannot produce pork here for less than $7 per pound [with] profit because that is my understanding. Whether that is the correct figure or not, we are working on it.”
He noted that if the Government finds a solution that allows the local meat to be retailed at a competitive price then it would be relayed to the public.
But he emphasised that it is an ongoing problem that his Ministry and the Government are looking into.
Minister Hamilton noted that his Ministry has been having discussions with a number of other pig farmers and they too have aired their concerns and complaints.
He said during the ensuing weeks, the relevant authorities are “going to put more energy” into the discussions which should lead to a solution.
