Ontario's specialty chicken processors short on supply

Thursday, November 24, 2011

by SUSAN MANN

Chicken processors who serve Ontario’s specialty markets are short one million kilograms of live supply for each of the 6.5 quota periods in a year, says a spokesman for the Ontario Independent Poultry Processors.

The group, which represents Ontario’s independent poultry processors, is trying to get more chicken supply for its members. Jon Slot, general manager for the independent poultry processors, says sometimes the markets get supplied with frozen products from other provinces and other times “the market doesn’t get filled.”

Slot and four members of the independent poultry processors met with Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission chair Geri Kamenz and commission staff on Nov. 2 and outlined their concerns about Ontario not being able to supply adequate amounts of chicken for the specialty markets. “All members present explained to the commission the particular predicament they have in getting appropriate live supply to fill those markets,” Slot says.

Kamenz described the meeting as productive and positive and Slot agreed with that assessment.

Slot says the Ontario markets his members are having difficulty getting additional supply for include organic, Hong Kong style chickens with heads and feet attached, kosher and others.

The lack of supply means “our members are turning customers down. Our members are turning business down,” he says.

Ontario’s population is very diversified and requires specialty production to satisfy the ethnic needs in the marketplace. Some of the specialty markets require specialized processing equipment. “We have members who can kill Cornish Hens. We have members that do the Hong Kong-style that requires a special processing technique,” Slot says, referring to the bird that’s a customary dish on Chinese New Year’s Day.

By filling the specialty markets, independent poultry processors aren’t cannibalizing the existing overall poultry market, rather they are selling in new and growing segments of the industry. “We’re not asking that we take kilograms away from other processors,” he explains. “All we’re asking for is there be some additional kilograms made available to Ontario to those processors that do those specialty markets.”

At the meeting with the commission, the independent poultry processors recommended Chicken Farmers of Ontario use tools they have available at the Chicken Farmers of Canada level to gain additional supply for Ontario.

Chicken Farmers of Ontario spokesperson Megan McCune says the organization doesn’t wish to comment.

Slot says the independent poultry processors will have further meetings with senior staff at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to “explain the predicament we’re in.” BF