640 layer chicks arrive in St Kitts and Nevis to boost meat and egg production

St Kitts and Nevis: A total of 640 layer chicks arrived at Robert L Bradshaw International Airport, St Kitts and Nevis on Monday. As part of the Layer Chicken Industry Sustainable Development Project, the supply is aimed to assist the farmers in the production of meat and eggs. 

The assistance has been provided with the collaboration between the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund (Taiwan ICDF) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine Resources of St Kitts. With the arrival of the chicks, the farmers in the country are expected to receive steady supply of over twenty-thousands-day-old chicks per year for the production. 

The project is also expected to benefit the local farmers who will grow their products in St Kitts and Nevis and contribute towards the CARICOM’s 25 by 25 agenda. With the development, the farming community has been seeking to reduce the import of food products that are related to the fishery sector by 25% by the year 2025. 

The chicks will be housed, raised and nurtured at the Bayford’s Layer Chicken Breeder Farm and Hatchery Facility of St Kitts and Nevis which has recently been commissioned. The facility will feed and nurture them by providing basic facilities, aiming to enhance their production for the farmers who will grow the local products. 

Earlier, the Ministry of Agriculture commissioned a new layer chicken hatchery at the Bayford’s Livestock Centre of Excellence on October 31, 2024. The aim of the facility is to increase local egg production and enhance steps towards food security in the Federation. 

25 by 25 agenda initiatives

Several initiatives have been implemented for supporting the farmers and local small business holders who grow their own products and contribute towards the food security in St Kitts and Nevis. 

25 by 25 agenda is aimed at enhancing food security and mitigating the reliance on foreign products so that the agriculture culture could be strengthened in the country. While taking some steps, the Ministry of Agriculture also announced Abattoir Operations for supporting the fisheries and livestock sector. 

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