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After Hurricane Ivan destroyed Allison Samuel’s poultry operation in September 2004, like so many Grenadian farmers, he was unable to rebuild on his own. When the AEDP was launched in March 2006, it was only a matter of months before Allison applied for a loan. He received the first of three $10,000 loan installments in August, and was expected to begin making payments by August 2007. However, the glut of eggs on the local market following Cricket World Cup forced Allison, along with other poultry producers, to sell eggs below production costs.
“I had to sell the eggs just to get feed. I also gave a lot of eggs away,” he recalled with frustration. With strong sales leading up to the Christmas season, Allison expects to begin making loan payments in December.
Allison and other members were expecting plans by the Grenada Association of Poultry Producers to establish a commercial entity to purchase eggs in bulk from farmers to materialise.
“I wish that can happen; then I would carry my eggs to Grenville to the Association for sale or storage. We need to have that storage facility for farmers,” Allison added.
The AEDP loan enabled him to rebuild the poultry pens, purchase new equipment and invest in a flock of 800 layers. Having been a chicken and pig farmers all his life, Allison also has 100 broilers and more recently purchased 12 turkeys for the Christmas market.
At 58 years, with help from his wife Glenna and a part-time farm worker, Allison maintains the farm at Conference, St. Andrew on his own. Commercial feed, along with a regular supply of water grass, and “a squeeze of lime in the water for added vitamins,” help to maintain a healthy flock.
He has no problems with rats or mongoose, thanks to his two dogs.
The AEDP has provided 38 loans to poultry producers, of which 32 are broiler operations and 6 are layers for a total of $1.3 million. Almost half of the loans have been to farmers in the South District at 17, while 8 farmers in the East, 8 in the West and 5 in the North Districts received loans.
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