Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture: Local Pluck Shop Industry in a Good Place

Local Pluck Shop Industry in a Good Place

Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Senator the Honourable Avinash Singh said the local Poultry Cottage Processing Industry (Pluck shop Operators) is currently in a good place but with the continued efforts of all it involved it can be even better. He added, that the sector has the potential of becoming a model industry which other jurisdictions can follow.

The Minister was speaking at a virtual workshop titled “The Promotion of Food Safety and Meat Hygiene in the Poultry Cottage Industry in Trinidad and Tobago on Monday 23 August 2021 jointly hosted by the Food and Agriculture (FAO) of the United Nations and the University of the West Indies (UWI). He said despite the challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Agriculture Ministry has seen an increase in the number of pluck shop operators, especially in the rural areas in Trinidad and Tobago.

In our viewpoint, these are indeed encouraging signs, and it all goes well for the future and success of the industry.

The global Poultry Cottage Processing Industry itself has evolved over time, with new technology and improved food safety and hygiene practices being established. These are significant developments because it extends from the operational side, right down to the consumers who are the primary stakeholders, since they are the ones who trust the management processes at these various pluck shops and in so doing, making it a commercially viable entity, Minister Singh said.

The Minister also encouraged attendees to implement some of these new innovative practices into their own businesses, as it will assure them viability and success in the long term. Also making notable contributions at the workshop were, Mr. Reuben Robertson, FAO Representative for Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname and the University of the West Indies (UWI) and Dr. Saed Rahaman, Director Veterinary Public Health, Ministry of Health.

Note: The Local Pluck Shop Sector currently employs on average between 10- 15,000 persons and processes about 300,000 of the 800,000 chickens produced a week. Furthermore, data has also shown that between 35- 40% of all poultry produced in this country on an annual basis are marketed and sold through our local pluck shops.

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Contact: Corporate Communications -Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries

Email: comms.malf@nullgov.tt| Website: agriculture.gov.tt

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