The Supply Response of Poultry Farmers Production to the Price of Chicken In Region 10 Market of Guyana

Mr. Arnold DeMendonca

The major economic activity of the Region 10 Community has been traditionally one of bauxite mining. Much of the population has been dependent upon the bauxite industry for income. Declining market prices for the bauxite ore has led to the retrenchment of many of the populace influencing an economic downturn in the Region. Apart from the constraints of low economic activities and poor road infrastructure, agricultural extension activities as
offered by the state to farmers have not offered farmers a panacea to their problems. The advent of LEAP (Linden Economic Advance Programme) and LEAF has been identified to measures to ease the negative economic woes in the community. Underemployment and low wages have also contributed to this poor economic situation. Many of the residents of the community can be found under or close to the poverty line. The unemployment rates for Linden shows 22.4% male and 42.6% for females.

This study focuses upon the possibility of broiler production becoming a business to attract income as to create a demand for other consumables.

Broiler production in the Region appears to be popular however, there are many small
producers and few larger farmers. The largest producer Surapana Farm is bankrupt. Many farmers have indicated the need to increase production but the numbers that they indicate appear non commercial. Farmers appear risk averse as they indicate that they will increase production but the numbers that they quote does not reflect commercial quantities, an indication of risk aversion.

Thirty five farmers were interviewed as livestock farmers who practice broiler production. However, these and eleven others that were surveyed wanted to increase the production of meat birds. The farmers in the area of Kwakwani/Ituni showed the highest indication of the need to expand production of broilers. This was followed by farmers on the Linden Highway and Moblissa areas.

However, the most important area for broiler production was the Upper Demerara River, with a combined bird population of over 20,000 birds. In the Moblissa area, of the three farms visited a population of 4,750 birds was found.

The highest farm gate price for chicken meat was found to be $205 per pound in the Berbice River, where poultry is scarce. The second highest was $200 per pound paid in the
Kwakwani/Ituni area. The lowest price paid was in the Moblissa area.

Many of the farmers in the Kwakwani/Ituni community even though indicating the desire to increase production, it was found that their pens were empty at the time of the survey. Pens of the small scale producers were found under bottom houses while those with the
exception of the Surapana Farm were found to have thatched roofs.

Key Words: Broiler Production, demand, supply, Market price, Income, Profit, economic activities