Agriculture Ministry rejects claim that contaminated chicken is on local market

The Ministry of Agriculture is rejecting claims that about one million pounds of contaminated chicken may be on sale in Guyana.

The claim was made by Dorwain Bess, co-founder of VPAC. In a statement Friday morning, the ministry said the claim has no supporting evidence and could cause unnecessary fear among consumers.

The ministry said there is no evidence that chicken being imported temporarily through the New Guyana Marketing Corporation (NGMC) is contaminated.

It said all poultry imported through the NGMC must meet sanitary, veterinary and food-safety requirements, including certification in the country of origin and inspection in Guyana.

For chicken from Brazil, the ministry said the Guyana Livestock Development Authority issues a no-objection only after the requirements are met. These include checks on the exporting country’s animal-health status and monitoring for diseases such as highly pathogenic avian influenza and Newcastle disease.

According to the ministry, when the chicken arrives it is inspected by the Livestock Development Authority, the Veterinary Public Health Unit, the Ministry of Health and other agencies before it is cleared for sale.

The ministry is urging anyone with food-safety concerns to report them to the relevant authorities so they can be investigated.