A Bahamian producer yesterday said this nation could become self-sufficient in poultry within three years if the correct policies and regulations are implemented.

Lance Pinder, Abaco Big Bird Poultry Farm's operations manager, told Tribune Business: “With the right regulations and the right investments it’s doable, but the policies have to be place. A lot of problems that’s existed for the last 25 years that I've complained about have not been addressed. If it hasn't happened in 25 years, and all of the problems and the barriers are still there, what’s the chance?”

He spoke out after Michael Pintard, minister of agriculture and marine resources, told last week's Bahamas Business Outlook conference that studies by the likes of the United Nations' (UN) Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) suggested The Bahamas could achieve self-sufficiency in poultry, especially broiler and meat products, plus eggs within three years.

Mr Pinder, though, warned that there was “more to it” than just growing the right amount of chickens. He explained that there needs to be a proper marketing system for produce once processed, along with anti-dumping restrictions to prevent foreign producers from flooding The Bahamas with poor quality, inferior chicken that undercuts local suppliers on price.

The Abaco Big Bird chief, meanwhile, said he has finally received a Small Business Development Centre (SBDC) grant that will primarily finance feed for his chickens as he continues rebuilding the farm's facilities following the devastation inflicted by Hurricane Dorian in September 2019.

However, Mr Pinder said his long hoped-for Crown Land grant is still “stuck in the Prime Minister’s office” and has not moved forward for many months. He added: “I’m 27 years from leasing the land now. Either renew the lease as we did at year 21, which was two years before the renewal was actually up.

"Before the renewal was up we put in an application to be able to get the land because we've developed it, and we’ve farmed it, and now I am investing on it again.”

Mr Pinder said he is currently operating at 15 percent of normal production capacity compared to pre-Dorian, as the farm is not even 50 percent reconstructed. It presently has only two functioning barns, while a third is in the process of being completed within the next three months. The COVID-19 pandemic has also taken a toll.

"We have to be careful about this because our Abaco market is still out because of Dorian, and the tourists are not coming as they once did because of COVID-19, but we have sent a shipment of chickens to a major wholesaler in Nassau just recently," he added.