Fried, baked, stewed, barbequed....it doesn't matter how you cook it, chicken is and will continue to be an integral part of the Belizean diet. That is why the Belize and the Caribbean Poultry Associations are trying to ensure that the chicken you consume is quality meat, and in order to do that, they have to upgrade their management and production mechanisms. Today the members and stakeholders in the Poultry industry met at the San Ignacio Hotel for their 3rd Annual Technical Symposium. I found out more.
Desmond Ali, Executive Director, Caribbean Poultry Association
"What we are doing is that we have an industry that uses state of the art technology, but on top of that state of the art technology, there are management techniques and scientific techniques that have to be imposed in the use of the technology to improve performance of the birds. Ultimately what we are trying to get, is trying to keep the cost to consumer down as far as we can."
"We have to make sure that we are using the technology and the science to improve the performance of the bird, thereby reducing our cost so that we can compete more effectively, not only that, but we want to make sure our industry develops the capacity to export product and to export product on the global market, we have to be competitive with those guys who are in the same business as us."
But besides focusing on the management or business aspect of the industry, another important element is the health of the chickens which will impact us, the consumers. The poultry producers discussed the significance of reducing the use of chemicals in poultry production.
Desmond Ali, Executive Director, Caribbean Poultry Association
"We are very concerned of nutritional status, what is the nutritional profile of the feeds that we are giving our animals, because ultimately a bird is the reflection of the feed you are giving it, 70% of the cost of the bird are the feeds, so we have to make sure the feed we are giving the birds is being used to its maximum effect and also we want to reduce the use of any chemicals whatsoever."
Armando Cowo, Belize Poultry Association. Manager
"You see on TV you see a lot of commercials with antibiotic free chicken so everyone is going in that direction and our plan is to go in that direction, that is why we are having this symposium dealing with a lot of the technical issues on how to raise the chickens with as least as possible antibiotics, now we will never be able to get rid of antibiotics, as in humans, you can't get rid of it, when you get sick you need antibiotics , so it is difficult but what we are saying is that we can find alternative ways to produce chickens with the least possible which is what the world is doing."
Tomorrow is the last day of the workshop. A report will be drafted and presented to the local farmers and other stakeholders in the industry.
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