St Kitts: Shortage of eggs will end shortly, says Vernon Belle

St Kitts and Nevis:

Vernon Belle of the Department of Agriculture, St Kitts and Nevis, has recently shared an update regarding the shortage of eggs in the nation, which will end shortly. In a recent interview given by Vernon Belle, he responded to the various factors responsible for the shortage of eggs in the first place.

Vernon Belle has been appointed at the Department of Agriculture, cooperates with poultry farmers and caretakers, and manages the Bayfords Center of Excellence operations.

As per the reports, Vernon Belle addressed the variety of reasons or factors which caused the shortage of eggs in St Kitts and Nevis, starting with the fact that the shortage of eggs was seen and noticed by the consumers assumably last year. 

Belle stated that one of the major reasons behind the shortage scenario was the closure of the country’s biggest and largest eggs-producing farms, which were supposed and expected to produce around 40,000 (forty-thousand) eggs per month.

The official from the Ministry of Agriculture, Vernon Belle, addressed in his interview that covid has also had a major impact on the production of eggs in recent times, as most of the farmers were not allowed to have more and new chicks at the poultry farm.

Belle further explained that chicks have a lifespan of nearly 36 (Thirty-six) months, and in such a lifespan, these birds could produce a maximum of eggs from about 18 (eighteen) to 24 (twenty-four) months of age. After the mentioned time, the birds have to be replaced.

In addition, Belle also pointed out that for the past three years, the farmers have been hesitant to introduce new chicks in terms of being unsure and uncertain about the market condition and needs, majorly due to the eggs sales on the Island. “It is a major concern contributing to the shortage of eggs”, Belle added.

Vernon Belle also addressed the challenge of shortage of milk and fed supply on the Island, because of which they had to start importing and purchasing the resources and seed from Saint Vincent Grenada and other places as well.

In his interview, Belle cited that, sometimes, there is a challenge in the supply of seed on time, which needs to be more consistent and match the demanded quantity. Such late deliveries of the seeds and resources also contribute to the shortage of eggs and their production quantity.

Moreover, the interviewer further asked the question that the shortage of eggs in the nations is beginning to end soon and what the updates are on the measures taken by the minister of agriculture. 

Vernon Belle replied that most farmers have already started buying nutrients and one-day-old chicks that take around six months before laying an egg.

Vernon Belle stated that the farmers are working to meet the egg demand for the upcoming cycle by preparing the arrangements on time. They will be able to deliver the supply nearly in July by starting in January. 

At the end of the interview, Belle stressed that the ministry of agriculture had joined hands with Miami and Taiwan to help the farmers with an adequate supply of Baby Chicks.