APNU puts poultry industry under parliamentary microscope

Last Updated on Tuesday, 2 June 2026, 19:29 by Writer

The opposition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has tabled several questions in the National Assembly about the poultry industry including plans to ensure meat self-sufficiency and whether exemptions or import licences were granted after a ban was imposed on poultry products three years ago.

APNU parliamentary leader, Dr Terrence Campbell wants agriculture minister Zulfikar Mustapha to say whether that ministry has a target date by which Guyana would once again become self-sufficient in poultry meat.

He specifically wants Mr Mustapha to state the date or time range by which Guyana would be able to satisfy its domestic demand through local production rather than imports.

The questions are on the order paper for the Friday’s (June 5) sitting of the National Assembly

Dr Campbell is also seeking an answer on how much subsidies, extension services, infrastructure, bio-security and training have been or would be provided by the agriculture ministry to “accelerate the self-sufficiency target.”

Also, on the subject of self-sufficiency, the APNU member of parliament has filed a separate question for the minister, asking him about the milestones of key performance indicators the ministry has set toward achieving self-sufficiency.

Those targets, he says, can include specified production volumes, reduction in imports, number of broiler breeder or hatching egg facilities, increased feed/grain self-production, and regional hinterland access.

Dr Campbell is also hoping that the minister can tell the 65-seat National Assembly whether any exemptions or import licences have been granted for items such as hatching eggs, breeding stock or emergency imports since May 2023 when a ban on poultry products was imposed by the Guyana Livestock Development Agency as a national security measure.

At the time of instituting the ban, Mr Mustapha had said the reasons were to protect local poultry farmers against chicken smuggling because Guyana was self-sufficient, and safeguarding the industry against bird flu.