CEO of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS), James Paul speaking to the media on their concerns about imports at a press conference yesterday at BAS headquarters.
Import worry
8/3/2012
There is a growing problem in Barbados where hotels, restaurants, supermarkets and other companies are importing products that they can get locally and doing so with low rates of duties.
This is the assertion being made by CEO of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS), James Paul, who addressed the media on this matter at a press conference yesterday at BAS headquarters.
He said that the BAS is worried about this because there cannot be a situation where one section of the private sector benefits at the expense of another. Some of the products that are being imported are milk, pork, fruits and vegetables and poultry.
“Across the range of products that we produce, we have a situation where importers are attacking that very market that our local producers are trying to [target],” he indicated.
He said that there are even some persons who are devising methods such as “designing their business based on importations” that would facilitate their desire to import products that they can easily get locally.
“We are seeing some persons now forming companies in this country with the express purpose, not of working with local farmers to try and sell produce, but the main thing is to see how they can bring in the produce which is actually being produced locally here.”
Paul stated that while there are companies that are making a genuine effort to work with local farmers, there are others who are them shutting out.
“We also have another element of companies which have no intention of working with our local producers and their only aim is to go out there to see if they can find cheap produce and bring it in and I really think that when you have that kind of cannibal behaviour – and I call it cannibal behaviour – on the part of our private sector, we need to do something about it.”
The CEO stated that he believes the time has come for the Government of Barbados to seriously evaluate their system of duty free applications as this system is being misused by some organisations.
“We know within the School Meals Department… that there are companies which import products that they say are for the purpose of providing school meals, but that is not the only intention and sometimes it is the same products which actually go out there in the markets to compete with locally produced agricultural products. That is an unfair situation, even in situations where we are priced competitively.”
Paul added that the BAS would enter into dialogue with the culprits once they find out who they are and if no agreements can be reached, then they would seriously consider taking the matter up internationally with the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED). (PJT)
