By Denise Clarke, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU: A SHORTAGE of chicken has hit supermarket shelves in several western parishes, leaving householders in the region without one of the primary components in their traditional Sunday dinner.
Checks with a number of supermarkets revealed that the problem started two weeks ago, when chicken supplies started to diminish. Gleaner investigations revealed that the problem surrounds the country's largest suppliers, Jamaica Broilers Group Limited, producers of Best Dressed Chicken.
Marketing manager at Jamaica Broilers, David Radlein, insisted that the company had not reduced its output, but instead was facing an increased demand for chicken, especially on the north coast. He said the recent closure of a plant by their competitor, Caribbean Broilers, was also a factor.
HIGH DEMAND
"We have been seeing an unusually high demand, especially on the north coast, and with the closure of a plant by our main competitor, we didn't have enough notice to put more chickens out to hatch," Mr. Radlein told The Gleaner, in explaining one of the possible factors that has led to the shortage.
In insisting that the company was not facing a production problem, Mr. Radlein suggested that some stores might have increased their orders of chickens, in an effort to offset any perceived shortage.
In the meantime, the Barnett Street branch of Super Plus, in Montego Bay, which is a major supplier of chicken meat in the western city, was out of chicken when The Gleaner checked on Tuesday. To compound the problem, the manager of the popular supermarket chain said he was not sure when the order they have made will be delivered.
ORDERS CUT
"Right now we have no chicken at all," Mr. Reid told The Gleaner. "I have ordered some but I have no idea when we will get them."
Mr. Reid said his orders of Best Dressed Chicken from Jamaica Broilers have been arriving in diminishing quantities since two weeks ago. According to him, orders of up to 50 bags of chicken have been cut down to 10.
Richard Bucknor, one of the managers at Shoppers Fair Supermarket at Westgate in Montego Bay, is also reporting a shortage of chicken at his store. He said his most recent supply was cut by more than 50 per cent, and the store's chicken stock was gobbled up over the holiday weekend.
"I would say the supplies have dropped by more than 50 per cent, and this has been happening for over a week now," Mr. Bucknor noted.
