Local farmers under pressure

President of the TT Goat and Sheep Association and board member of the Agricultural Society Shiraz Khan yesterday told Newsday the importation of lamb and goat by National Flour Mills (NFM) is destroying the industry.

Khan said NFM sells imported lamb and goat at $11 a pound while local farmers ply their trade at $25 to $30 a pound.

He said the reason behind this is the high cost of feed following the international price hike of grains and low subsidies on meat.

“How do I compete with that price when I myself sell at $30 per pound,” Khan protested. He continued “consumers are concerned with price and if they have the option to pay less for an item they would”.

Khan said that NFM’s low priced meat took over the market during the Christmas holidays as farmers were barely able to sell their stock. “Imagine how difficult it is to prepare animals for a whole year to sell at Christmas then lo and behold NFM appears with meat at $11 a pound,” he said.

He said that this competition is destroying the local farming industry and forcing many farmers to walk away from the trade. He added that the industry is comprised of many part-time farmers who are not benefiting from the business. Khan revealed that he has had to reduce his herd by 40 percent because of the high costs of feed and labour, the shortage of labour and limited sales.

Similarly President of the National Foodcrop Farmers Association, Terrance Haywood, agreed that the importation of produce is adversely affecting the livelihood of local farmers.

He said that when importers bring items such as tomatoes and cabbage, locally grown produce are put on the back-burner. Imported goods heighten the level of competition and subsequently discouraging local farmers from growing their crops for sale.

In response, NFM corporate communications manager Simone Harris described the food importation programme as “lucrative”.

She explained that since NFM joined government’s food importation initiative last year, the company has been bringing foreign products such as sardines, juices, cereals, milk and frozen foods including meat.

“At Christmas our hams and turkeys did very well and are continuing to do well,” Harris said.

Although local suppliers are feeling the brunt of pressure from imported goods, Harris said that it was necessary for NFM to sell at competitive prices.

Reports revealed that on Thursday Manning turned a blind eye to the nationwide concerns of exorbitant food prices as he said that it is unlikely that his government would subsidise food. He said that such a step would lead to shortages and black marketing.