With Christmas just weeks away amid fears of a looming poultry shortage, Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS) James Paul appealed for transparency and collaboration in the farming community, warning that secrecy and poor communication risk worsening shortages and undermining public confidence.He said there needs to be open communication and pragmatic solutions to prevent further disruptions while safeguarding the livelihoods of farmers.“Producers who have difficulty at the moment in meeting the market needs that they are accustomed to meeting have to come forward and indicate in no uncertain terms what the issues are and what assistance they require in order to solve the issues they are facing,” Paul told Barbados TODAY.He cautioned that downplaying the supply challenges could lead to misguided policy responses and economic fallout. He likened the situation to the proverbial boy who cried wolf, adding: “If you keep on saying to persons: ‘Oh, we’re on track, we’re going to do it, it’s going to happen,’ you can engender policy responses on the part of the government, which we in the sector would not like to see.”Barbadians have been voicing increasing concern over potential shortages of poultry, a staple on Christmas dinner tables. While Paul acknowledged the issue’s seriousness, he assured the public that solutions exist and that the agricultural community remains resilient.
