Title: Barbados Agricultural Society Threatens Protest Over Pork Imports: President Henderson Williams Stresses Need for Fair Market Practices

The Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS) is threatening protest action should nothing be done to curb

pork imports.

President Henderson Williams said the demonstration would be more of a public awareness campaign using T-shirts, stickers and a protest march, should it become necessary.

“We’re working to patch the issues and rectify the challenges that we’re having, but we have to be given the opportunity as an industry and as a farming community to do that successfully. I think that our partners are willing to work with us, or at least some of them, but we cannot control private enterprise,” he said.

“We ask them that when they make any decisions they consider the farmers in the process and that they be fair in the determination, because as time goes on, and we recognise that they’re not fair in the approach in terms of how they handle the marketing strategies and how, if it becomes predatory in the approach, then the BAS may ask the farmers to come out and demonstrate their support for the local industry.”

Williams was speaking recently during a media conference at BAS headquarters, The Grotto, St Michael.

“No [pork] producer wants to have a situation where he’s producing, and then he does not have a market. So again, if we have a situation where there are too many imports into the space, then it compromises the industry. Local producers are [concerned] that when they go and spend thousands and thousands of dollars to fatten or to breed [livestock], they then don’t have a market.

I believe that is one of the things that is impinging farmers.

“We’re going to go back to what we did before with this buy-local campaign in the pork industry. We want to sensitise Barbadians to the fact that by supporting local production, we’re supporting local farmers . . . the butchers. We’re supporting all of those persons that have a part to play in the process, even in the production of feed and so on,” he said.

BAS chief executive officer James Paul said there was always going to be someone who would come up with ways to undercut everyone else, which was why it was important to bring such issues to their attention as soon as possible.

“It is outside of the BAS where we have the issue. One of the things we are constantly encouraging members of the BAS to do is when you have information, share it. That is why we encourage active conversation on a monthly basis so that we are aware of what is happening and if there is any issue, we can bring it to the spotlight at a very early stage,” he said.

Two pork producers, Steve Ifill of Pork City and Gay Reed of Barnwell Farms Ltd, also spoke about the situation, with the former saying he was considering hanging up his boots.

“Pork is being sold in the supermarkets for $32.50 to $35 per kilogramme, which has nothing to do with the loin, which is sold for $50. But farmers are paid $14.85 and $15.40 per kilogramme, except in the case of Hipac where there is an added index.

“Government has assisted the farmers in the AI programme but when the farmers bring the production and quality to the level that is expected, you have a large [number] of imports causing problems to the farmers. On one hand, you are given assistance, and then, on the other hand, the props are pulled from under you. I don’t know

. . . maybe I will soon get out of it (the industry) as well because it makes no sense,” he said.

Reed asked feed suppliers to keep prices down and quality up. He said farmers could satisfy the domestic market, including for Christmas.