The Barbados Egg and Poultry Producers Association (BEPPA) recently expressed surprise after a major processor, Amir’s Chicken/Fasons Foods, launched an independent campaign to recruit small-scale farmers.
Despite being excluded from the initial planning, BEPPA leadership supports the initiative as a vital step toward enhancing national food security and protecting independent growers.
To further assist the industry, the association is implementing technical solutions like heat-reflective roof coatings and educational seminars to help birds survive rising temperatures.
The Barbados Agricultural Society also endorsed the move, noting that contract farming provides a necessary safety net for smaller operations struggling with logistics and marketing.
All parties aim to create a more resilient poultry sector through structured collaboration and increased production capacity.
This unified approach is expected to stabilize the local supply of meat and eggs while safeguarding the investments of smaller agricultural producers.