By Elesha George
If there is no protection for the industry, why are people going to meaningfully invest in agriculture, questioned President of the Layer Farmers’ Association, Adrian Hall, referring to a government decision to waive taxes and duties on imported eggs.
The government has responded to a planned EC$2 increase in the wholesale price of a dozen eggs by making it easier for supermarkets to import eggs into the country for sale. The association says the price hike was necessary due to escalating costs in the poultry farming industry, which have soared since the last price adjustment in 2022. And, with no support from the government, the association says it is now unable to cope.
In an interview, Hall and General Secretary Valerie Edwards revealed that their request for support, including subsidies and concessions, has been neglected by the government despite its prior promises.
Edwards provided context, explaining that the association’s last price increase in 2022 was minimal at just 3.1 percent, with farmers accepting this under the expectation of receiving certain government concessions. These included a 25 percent discount on water; relief on the Antigua and Barbuda Sales Tax (ABST) through a specialised ID card; and the provision of water tanks to farms without piped water.
To date, none of these promises have materialised, they say.
The association contends that it has absorbed as many operational costs as possible to keep eggs affordable for consumers, but this is no longer viable. Since 2022, the price of layer feed has risen significantly from $52.75 per 55-pound bag, to $64. Additionally, an increase in shipping costs in September has further strained farmers’ resources.
“We were already working at an operational loss,” said Edwards. “The increase in shipping costs was the last straw—we simply could not continue absorbing these expenses.”
Hall emphasised that farmers felt abandoned by the government, stating that the measures promised in 2022 to mitigate the rising costs never came to fruition. Instead of repeating the failed process of asking for concessions, farmers opted for the price increase to sustain their livelihoods.
Hall also highlighted procedural concerns, noting that during a recent meeting with the Cabinet, the association was not given a fair opportunity to present its financial analysis that justified the increase.
Edwards, who attended the meeting, said, “I was constantly interrupted when trying to present the figures.” She added that she had brought invoices and financial documents to demonstrate the increased costs but was met with resistance.
Instead, in response to the price increase, Prime Minister Gaston Browne suggested liberalising the egg market by removing protections that currently shield local egg farmers from competition with imported eggs. This threat of market liberalisation has been a significant source of anxiety for the association, as the removal of import tariffs would likely flood the market with cheaper foreign eggs, with which local farmers cannot compete.
Edwards and Hall warned that liberalising the market would be detrimental to the local poultry industry. Edwards explained that while imported eggs might be cheaper, they pose unknown risks. “We don’t know how long imported eggs have been sitting in cold storage or whether they’ve been recalled due to contamination like salmonella,” she said.
Hall added that the potential liberalisation of the egg market could undermine food security efforts in Antigua and Barbuda. “If there is no protection for local farmers, why would anyone meaningfully invest in agriculture?” he asked.
They also mentioned efforts to secure an egg box machine with assistance from the Department of Environment (DoE), but that never panned out. The department said at the time that they intended to partner with the association but they needed to apply for a grant and, based on what they submitted, a decision would have been made.
The DoE’s Director, Ambassador Diann Black-Layne, said the department also became aware that the Poultry Association had split into two separate associations, which was a “road block” in the implementation of the project due to the fact that the DoE cannot facilitate unfair market advantages for one group over another.
On Tuesday, Black-Layne told Observer that the machine is with the Antigua and Barbuda Waste Recycling Corporation (ABWREC) which is in the process of building a station for the machine to start operations. ABWREC, she said, would sell the materials it makes. Observer was unable to reach the corporation’s chairman to find out more about their plans for the machine, which the farmers felt would be a source of income for the association had it been given to them.
Beyond the price of eggs, the association pointed out that this situation is indicative of a larger problem affecting farmers across the country. According to Edwards, between 150 and 170 egg farmers currently operate in Antigua and Barbuda, with a workforce that includes family members and hired labourers. The impact of government’s inaction on its promises and the looming threat of market liberalisation could jeopardise the livelihoods of over 1,000 people who are directly involved in egg production.
The government, for its part, has proposed establishing a Poultry Development Board to regulate the industry and monitor sanitary conditions. But Hall expressed scepticism, saying that the egg farming sector in Antigua and Barbuda has maintained high standards without experiencing a significant disease outbreak like salmonella.
The association continues to push for a renewed dialogue with the government to avoid what they see as an existential threat to the egg farming industry. They hope to return to the negotiating table, this time with a more collaborative approach from the Cabinet.
