Cabinet Minute Shows Details of Agreement To Defer Egg Price Increases

MINUTE

From:Secretary to the Cabinet

To:Mr. Walter Christopher, Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries and the Blue Economy

Date:20th September, 2024

Ref. No.:C.S. 7/4 (a)

Suspension of Proposed Egg Price Increases and Tax Waivers for the Importation of Eggs

Cabinet held extensive discussions with executive members of the Antigua and Barbuda Layer Farmers Association to consider the publicly stated position of the Association to increase the wholesale price for eggs produced locally by $2 per dozen. This will result in retail prices up to $18 per dozen.

Cabinet considered the merits of the financial information presented and concluded that the rationale was unsubstantiated and unjustified with inadequate data.

Cabinet, therefore, at its meeting held on Wednesday, 18th September, 2024, decided as follows:

Any consideration of an increase in the price of locally produced eggs shall be deferred for the next sixty (60) days to allow sufficient time for the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry for Trade along with the Antigua and Barbuda Layer Farmers Association to conduct a cost analysis relative to the proposed increase and make a recommendation to Cabinet thereafter.

Unfortunately, the Layers Association has refused to cooperate with the Cabinet, forcing the following decisions:

i. To suspend for the next sixty (60) days, ALL taxes and duties applicable on the importation of eggs.

ii. The removal of the requirement for obtaining any licence for the importation of eggs into Antigua and Barbuda over the next sixty (60) days.

iii. The establishment of a Poultry Development Board to regulate the standards, including pricing, for the industry.

The above decisions were taken to contain escalating egg prices in the interim pending the analysis of the domestic production costs and the implementation of strategies to increase production efficiency and improved sanitary and phytosanitary conditions in the domestic egg market.

Signed,Secretary to the Cabinet

cc:Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Corporate Governance and Public Private PartnershipsHonourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Barbuda AffairsHonourable Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries and the Blue EconomyPermanent Secretary, Foreign Affairs, Trade and Barbuda AffairsPermanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Corporate Governance and Public Private PartnershipsComptroller of CustomsCommissioner of Inland Revenue

KL/ms

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