The Agriculture Ministry says it is engaging with the poultry sector to address concerns regarding the availability of chicken.
It comes after the tightening of local supplies, which the Ministry says is being influenced by a combination of factors, rather than a fundamental shortage of production capacity.
The weather was identified as a point of pressure, with exceptionally hot conditions requiring farmers to implement additional heat-management measures and, in some cases, reduce the number of birds on farms.
“The Ministry emphasizes that temporary reductions in placement are a prudent measure to protect bird welfare, maintain healthy growth and minimize heat-related losses. Farmers operating at normal stocking levels under extreme heat conditions could face increased mortality and reduced production. As weather conditions improve, placement levels are expected to return to normal,” says a statement.
The Ministry says chicken remains available to consumers, although some may experience temporary difficulty obtaining their usual quantities at particular retail outlets.
It adds that recent hatchery projections also show an expected increase in chick availability over the next two weeks.
It says these additional chicks will subsequently move through the normal production cycle, with poultry supplies expected to progressively increase and return to full levels approximately three weeks thereafter.
