Maintain Consistency in the Quality and Supply of Eggs – Samuda

Amidst a campaign to encourage increased consumption of eggs, Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda, is urging players in the industry to ensure consistency in price and quality.

Addressing a breakfast meeting at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in Kingston on Friday, (August 12), Mr. Samuda said the sector must look at how best to sustain reliable output in order to maintain prices, which will allow better business planning.

He further noted that the hospitality sector being a major consumer is also an opportunity for the eggs producing industry, to expand and further maintain consistency.

From this relationship with the tourism sector, he said egg farmers could also expand enough to seek markets for regional export.

Mr. Samuda said there are approximately 600 large scale egg farmers locally. He suggested that training by the Jamaica Egg Farmer’s Association (JEFA) be provided to all famers so as to ensure consistency in quality.

The Minister said the Rural Agriculture Development Authority (RADA), an agency of the Agriculture portfolio of the Ministry, must reach out to egg farmers to provide technical guidance, as well as support in management, storage and distribution.

Meanwhile, Mr. Samuda endorsed and commended the ongoing campaign by the JEFA, in partnership with Hi-Pro division of the Jamaica Broilers Group and the United States Soybean Export Council (USSEC) to promote egg consumption in Jamaica.

The public education campaign includes a ‘Get Cracking’ promotion to reward customers with phone credit and shopping sprees, when they text in entry codes found in the one-dozen egg boxes.

The campaign also includes a series of targeted media advertisements promoting the health benefits of eggs.

Currently, research indicates that each Jamaican eats an average of one egg per week, which the JEFA is seeking to increase to seven eggs per person per week.

Eggs are a good source of high quality protein and are also rich in Vitamin A. It promotes improved concentration, eye sight, and bone strength and also helps maintain healthy hair and skin, healthy weight and healthy pregnancy.