20 SVG Poultry Farmers Get Equipment to Improve Egg Quality 

By S.Browne. Updated 2:44 p.m., Thursday, September 10, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

Twenty poultry farmers in St. Vincent and the Grenadines have received nesting boxes to help improve the quality and shelf life of locally produced eggs, as the country continues efforts to strengthen its poultry industry.

The equipment was distributed at the Dumbarton Agricultural Station under the Caribbean Development Bank-funded Food Safety Certification System for Livestock Production and Trade pilot project. According to a September 9, 2026, release from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Transformation, the project culminated on August 26, 2026,  and is intended to establish a farm-level food safety certification framework and introduce systematic testing for foodborne disease pathogens on participating farms.

Project Lead Garfield Bowman said the nesting boxes will enable egg producers to deliver higher-quality eggs to the marketplace with a longer shelf life.

The intervention comes against the backdrop of efforts to increase local poultry production and reduce SVG’s dependence on imported poultry products. In August 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture said the country imported approximately EC$30 million worth of chicken annually.

The Government has been pursuing several measures to increase local poultry production, including the distribution of layer and broiler chicks and support for backyard poultry production. In March 2025, the Ministry reported increased demand for broiler and layer chickens among Vincentian consumers and announced plans to bring more than 30,000 day-old chicks into the country to help meet that demand.

With efforts already focused on increasing the number of birds being produced locally, the latest project targets the quality and safety of products reaching consumers.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Colville King, encouraged the beneficiaries to become members of the Poultry Producers’ Association, pointing to the potential benefits of purchasing inputs in bulk.

King said bulk purchasing through the association could help reduce farmers’ overall production costs.

Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Kathian Hackshaw assured the recipients that the Animal Health and Production Division would continue working with them to meet biosecurity requirements.

Hackshaw said compliance with those requirements could help producers supply safer eggs for consumption.

Several producers expressed gratitude for the support.

The project therefore adds a food-safety and quality component to the country’s wider push to strengthen local poultry production, with the ultimate aim of protecting consumers while improving the integrity of locally produced eggs.

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