Poultry Farmers Receive Broiler Chicks and Feed from JBI and Nutramix

Eighty poultry farmers from communities near Porus in Manchester received broiler chicks and feed, valued at $1.8 million, from the Jamaica Bauxite Institute (JBI) and Nutramix, on May 7, at the Porus Community Centre.

The recipients are members of the Harmons Valley Community Council, in the parish.

Among them is 37-year-old Algecia Jones, who has been a poultry farmer for more than 10 years. She is happy for the partnership between the JBI and Nutramix, as it will boost her business.

“This means growth and development, and I want to see it continue for the future. The price of chicken fluctuates between $6,000 and $6,400 for 30, so this is saving me up to $30,000. The feed will last till they are ready to be slaughtered,” Ms. Jones said.

She told JIS News that she was motivated to become a farmer after hearing Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining Minister, Hon. Floyd Green, encouraging people to eat what they grow and grow what they eat.

“Being able to sustain people inside and outside your community, and yourself, is a plus,” Ms. Jones said.

She is encouraging young people, especially females, to become farmers full-time, whether it be poultry, livestock or crops, adding that they should do the research and find out how the market is structured, because it works.

Ms. Jones said that during her time as a farmer, she has built her home and is raising her child from her earnings.

Meanwhile, Jenneva Samuels from Evergreen said she went into poultry farming as a second-income occupation, plus it is one of the most frequently consumed proteins and it is beneficial to small communities.

“I grew up in a single-parent family where my mother used to raise poultry as an income earner to send me to school, so I see it as an opportunity to continue and expand,” she said.

Ms. Samuels, who has been a farmer for three years, raises 150 birds each cycle for which she has a regular market. She sees the industry as a growing one, where young people can come in and start with as few as 50 birds.

“I have benefited from it. I have extended my farm to animal rearing. I was able to purchase goats and I now own a goat farm too. I am growing and hope to grow more. I am also hoping to build my house from the farming – that is my aim now,” she said.

“Farming is one of the most equitable things for a young adult. I feed my family from it; I am able to send my children to school. There is lots you can acquire through farming, such as building relationships with other farmers and building your market network,” she said.

In the meantime, Project Officer at the JBI, Gilmore Falconer, said training was provided before the day-old baby chicks and feed were handed over.

“This initiative is to assist 80 farmers within the communities around the Porus area. The JBI operates in five parishes with 14 active community councils, and the broiler project helps the farmers a lot, especially since Hurricane Melissa,” he said.

“This boost to their business will help, and they are happy. Working in tandem with Nutramix helps because if the community council had purchased the number of chicks and feed here today, it would cost them over $3 million, but with JBI working with Nutramix, we got a discount down to $1.8 million. We collaborate with the training, some field visits and inspection of coops and assist farmers with their problems,” Mr. Falconer said.

All 14 community councils will get similar assistance from the successful broiler programme, which has been in existence for some seven years.