Chicken producer denies slashing prices

Chicken producers Fine Choice Meats and Warnerville Grain Mills Ltd have denied claims that they have reduced all chicken prices after last Friday’s Budget. A release signed by Warnerville Grain Mills Ltd’s chairman Yusuf Mohammed noted that the company is in the process of analysing the possible implications of the reduction of the surcharge on chicken and turkey parts, and will comment at a later date. Several faxes, allegedly originating from the desk of Yusuf Mohammed, president/chairman of Fine Choice Meats Ltd, had earlier indicated that the company was no longer a bonafide member of the Poultry Association, and did not support any statements made on behalf of the poultry industry. The fax also indicated that prices had been reduced with immediate effect, and quoted several new prices for live and frozen chicken, all chicken parts, whole turkey and turkey parts. The document also indicated that all prices would be maintained until June 2005.

Mohammed has since denied that the company had issued any fax or releases regarding the issue, noting that the company has always held a policy of selling its products at affordable prices relative to the existing costs of raw materials and other consumables. While consumers may have welcomed an immediate reduction in the price of imported chicken and turkey parts based on the budgetary proposals that import surcharge on these items be reduced from 86 percent to 40 percent, supermarkets across the country have not reacted similarly. Checks at various supermarkets revealed that some prices have been lowered, while others remained the same. At one supermarket where the price has been altered, a customer service representative indicated that she was not authorised to make any statements on the company’s behalf and indicated that the relevant individual did not want to comment.

Managers at some groceries stated they have not adjusted the prices to reflect the reduction in surcharge because they are still selling existing stock, and the decrease would only be available with new stock. At Food Giant Supermarket in Barataria, a representative told Newsday that when suppliers make adjustments to their prices, only then can prices be adjusted, so an exact time when prices would be adjusted could not be given. Another store manager at a popular southern supermarket said there was no way there could be an adjustment in prices between Budget Friday and yesterday. The manager even thought that the question was invalid, saying that perhaps in a few weeks the question would apply.

A manager at Low Cost Supermarket explained that prices were in fact dependent on suppliers, and the suppliers usually send out price lists. Since no amended pricelist has been received, there can be no definite way of determining if there would be an adjustment in chicken prices. He did say, however, that there would be an adjustment in prices when new stocks are received. In East Trinidad, the situation was the same. At the El Dorado Consumers Co-op, the store manager said there had not yet been any adjustment to chicken prices, and was unable to give a time when any adjustment might take place. The consensus among supermarkets throughout TT was that prices could only be adjusted when new supplies were received. The more prominent supermarkets refused to comment on the issue.