Chicken neck, back imports undermining local production, says JB exec

KINGSTON, Jamaica - THE Jamaica Broilers Group says the large volume of chicken neck and back being imported into the island is undermining local production, not just for the company but for thousands of backyard chicken farmers. While admitting that the company cannot, by itself, satisfy local demand, Group Vice President of Accounting and Information Systems Donald Patterson said the doubling of imports over the last three years has created an unbalanced playing field for local producers. "There used to be a level of equilibrium where people could get their chicken neck and back and Jamaica Broilers, as well as other processors and small farmers, could supply our locally-grown, and processed chicken," Patterson told the weekly Jamaica Observer Monday Exchange of reporters and editors at the newspaper's head offices in Kingston.