Chicken confidence rising

CONSUMER CONFIDENCE in chicken is slowly returning following recent concerns about aspergillosis, and there continue to be no further reports of the fungal infection occurring at any other poultry farms in Trinidad and Tobago. Poultry Association president and Arawak marketing manager Robin Phillips told Newsday yesterday that concerns about aspergillosis appear to be subsiding and chicken sales are picking up. Stating that there would have been some persons sceptical about purchasing chicken because of reports of aspergillosis in the press, Phillips said he was confident that whatever small reduction in chicken sales occurred over the last week was now a thing of the past.

Noting that chicken is the prime meat of choice for local consumers, Phillips said he was certain of an increase in chicken sales, given the fact that other meats on the market were more expensive than chicken. From Arawak’s perspective, Phillips said the company’s production levels have not been affected by aspergillosis and had more than sufficient chicken stocks for Carnival. He added that January is not traditionally a month for high chicken purchases and he expected more consumers to buy chicken in February. Meanwhile, Agriculture Ministry officials said the Poultry Surveillance Unit (PSU) is continuing to conduct tests on samples from Nutrimix’s hatchery in Barrackpore. The PSU has been attempting to trace the source of aspergillosis at two farms in Cumuto and Valencia.