The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

A Bahamian poultry producer yesterday said it still requires $100,000 in financing to develop its own hatchery as plans for similar facilities advance elsewhere in this nation.

Lance Pinder, Abaco Big Bird Poultry's operations manager, told Tribune Business its proposed hatchery will be a “much-needed” addition to the poultry stock and efforts to develop a sustainable industry in this nation.

He added: “They’re planning a hatchery down at BAMSI (Bahamas Agricultural and Marine Science Institute). I’m on the Board, and I know the equipment just arrived in the country recently. There are one or two individuals that are looking to do a small factory in Nassau. Actually, I’m looking at getting a set of chicks from Nassau so I’ll see how that goes.

"We can get our hatchery up and running within three months. For funding, all we need is $100,000. We already have the infrastructure in place; we just need to get some special equipment. We’re just trying to figure out how to move forward, but it is kind of tough right now. So we are revisiting the hatchery because that seems to be the only way out of this situation for right now.”

Abaco Big Bird's proposed hatchery is not a new concept, as the farm has been planning this for more than two years, but never had the chance to execute because the market for broiler eggs was not stable. “The broiler eggs was the biggest challenge, but we see broiler eggs starting to free up now on that end, as we have been finding broiler eggs on the market more easily now,” Mr Pinder said.

“There are some private individuals that have approached us about financing. The banks are kind of a lost cause. Maybe we could work with the Bahamas Development Bank, but they take so long to get back to you.”