The Veterinary and Livestock Services Division of the Ministry of Agriculture is seeking to validate the retail pork prices set by the Saint Lucia Pig Farmers Co-operative Society Ltd.
Citing increased production costs, the Pig Farmers Cooperative announced a price hike for pork this week.
The Ministry of Agriculture has since issued a release recognising the increase in the cost of feed, gas, labour, and building materials.
At the same time, the Ministry acknowledged the plight of the swine producers and the need for a price increase for pork.
The release observed that the Ministry does not regulate the price of pork.
However, it said Chief Veterinary Officer Dr. Sharmaine Melville-Edwin explained that the Veterinary and Livestock Services Division is trying to validate the production cost that the Pig Farmers Cooperative Society Ltd. has prepared.
Dr. Melville-Edwin also explained that as the Christmas holidays approach, the Ministry of Agriculture has increased monitoring and surveillance of butchery practices to ensure compliance with public health guidelines and procedures.
In addition, she encouraged butchers and the public to follow public health guidelines and procedures as the government works towards a safer and more efficient agriculture sector.
I think its best you people invest in free range cattle for milk that can be turned into cheese and yoghurt. the dairy being imported is filled with chemicals. and next, forget all that meat killing. we are an island. we are bigger fish eaters than pork. make it make sense.
Everything goes up in Saint Lucia because of increases in the cost of production or the cost of the service, they say. However, when those costs of production go down there is NEVER a corresponding decrease in prices. We saw this with the price of cement a few years ago when it was said that the price increase was due to increases in the cost of fuel. Months thereafter, the price of fuel dropped to record lows but the price of cement remained unchanged and not reflective of the low cost of transportation. This is the same trend with everything else in Saint Lucia, (steel, bus fares, price of bread and groceries to name a few) yet our governments say that they are working in our interest. Same PORKing thing from all these shameless and crooked politicians. Shame on you!!!! This is why this country is sooooo corrupt. The poor and indigent must find a way to survive!
@ Citizen, well said. The high prices at the supermarkets and everywhere else are sadly here to stay.