NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (July 15, 2025) - The Nevis Island Administration (NIA) is moving forward with plans to establish a Broiler Processing Facility, with work on the project expected to commence imminently at the Prospect Industrial Site.
The project forms part of the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM)-led administration’s strategic efforts to boost local food production and reduce the island’s dependence on imported chicken.
Deputy Premier and Minister of Agriculture, the Honourable Eric Evelyn, confirmed the development during the NIA’s town hall meeting for the parish of St. Paul’s on July 13.
“The long-awaited and the much talked-about broiler processing facility, we should see some work starting on the ground as early as this week,” he said.
“We have said much about this project. We have been held up by the funding, and we are very delighted now that we have seen the way to start the project. We want to say a special thanks to the Republic of China (Taiwan) for their assistance. They have come to our assistance, and so we have been able to start this project.”
To date, the NIA has invested more than US $260,000 in equipment for the facility. This includes a fully assembled Processing Line with a capacity of 700 to 800 birds per hour, a Spin Chiller, and an Auto Carousel Cutting Line to produce chicken parts such as breasts, wings, legs, thighs, and drumsticks. The initial production target is 10,000 birds per week- approximately 50,000 pounds of chicken meat.
“We are aware that we are a chicken-loving public. We consume a lot of chicken, and so we are thinking that we could save some foreign exchange if we produce a lot of that chicken here on the island of Nevis,” the Honourable Evelyn stated.
The government has signed a contract with a Canadian company to provide a prefabricated building for the facility, which was considered the most cost-effective option. The poultry processing section will be outfitted with the plug and play processing line, the spin chiller, and the cut-up machine, along with chilled storage to maintain the meat at the required temperature. The goal is to slaughter, process, and package poultry for sale directly on island and possibly expand to export to nearby islands.
Minister Evelyn also highlighted preparatory work already undertaken to support the broiler industry. These include farmer training initiatives in collaboration with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), consultation with a specialist from Trinidad and Tobago, and capacity-building efforts involving the Department of Agriculture.
As the Administration continues its push for greater food security, it is also preparing for the expansion of poultry farming. Sixty acres of land at Webbs Estate in St. George’s have been identified and will be made available to support the rearing of chickens for meat.
According to Minister Evelyn, this initiative not only addresses the island’s food security needs but also offers meaningful economic benefits.
“By establishing a broiler industry on the island, the government is creating opportunities for persons to reap the financial rewards of engaging in the rearing of chickens for meat.”
The NIA anticipates that the facility will play a key role in redirecting millions of dollars currently spent on imported chicken into the hands of local stakeholders, thereby contributing to the overall growth of the Nevis economy.
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