Saint Lucians are facing an egg squeeze, with shortages at supermarkets and mini marts prompting some retailers to limit customers to just one carton as government moves to address disruptions in local supply.
Agriculture Minister Lisa Jawahir confirmed Tuesday that the Ministry is aware of the shortage, explaining that the situation emerged after some local farmers chose the same period to replace their laying hens.
“We were made to understand that some farmers chose this time to switch over their chickens and so they alerted the supermarket. As for the logistics, that was up to the supermarkets,” Jawahir said ahead of Tuesday’s sitting of the House of Assembly.
Flock replacement, or flock turnover, occurs when egg farmers replace older hens that have reached the end of their productive cycle. According to Jawahir, the Ministry reached out to farmers to determine what assistance could be provided, but the decision to replace the birds had already been made.
The shortage has also exposed a wider challenge facing the sector: many of Saint Lucia’s egg farmers are not registered with the government.
Jawahir said the Ministry intends to strengthen its relationship with producers as part of its broader push to expand the food sector and move Saint Lucia closer to greater self-sufficiency. She said more open communication with farmers could also help prevent several producers undertaking flock replacement simultaneously and creating another supply disruption.
While acknowledging the current shortage, Jawahir said government does not intend to invest directly in hatcheries or egg production because private farmers are already making significant investments in the sector.
“What we are here to do is ensure the policies are here to accommodate what it is that they [egg farmers] want,” she said.
The Minister also stressed the importance of getting more farmers formally registered and connected with agricultural extension officers who can provide technical assistance.
Some producers, she explained, are registered directly with supermarkets rather than government. Farmers are free to establish those relationships with distributors, but Jawahir cautioned that government concessions and other benefits are available only to farmers registered with the state.
She is now encouraging egg farmers to contact their extension officers for assistance with the registration process.
