Right to Livelihoods in Haiti
Focus on egg production and rural household livelihood strategies
Focus on egg production and rural household livelihood strategies
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10<br />
Table 2: Comparison of Prices <strong>in</strong> <strong>Haiti</strong> Before and After June 6 th 2012 Ban on Imported Eggs<br />
Before<br />
After<br />
Car<strong>to</strong>n S<strong>in</strong>gle S<strong>in</strong>gle<br />
Car<strong>to</strong>n S<strong>in</strong>gle S<strong>in</strong>gle<br />
of 30 Raw Boiled Raw Boiled of 30 Raw Boiled Raw<br />
import import import local local import import import local<br />
eggs Egg egg egg egg eggs Egg egg egg<br />
Boiled<br />
local<br />
egg<br />
LOCATION<br />
Ouanam<strong>in</strong>th 100 5 5 8 n/a 125-50 5 5 10 n/a<br />
Cape <strong>Haiti</strong>an 135 5 7 8 10 175 8 10 10 15<br />
Port Margot 135 5 7 7 10 200 8 10 10 15<br />
Port-de-Paix 175 7 10 8 15 250 9 10 10 15<br />
Gonaive 125 5 8 8 10 225 9 10 10 15<br />
Gros Morne 125 5 8 8 10 225 9 10 10 15<br />
Jean Rabel 150 5 8 8 10 250-75 10 10 10 15<br />
Mare Rouge 150 5 n/a n/a n/a 250 10 n/a 10 n/a<br />
Bombardopolis 150 5 n/a n/a n/a 300 10 n/a 10 n/a<br />
Port-au-Pr<strong>in</strong>ce 125 5 7.5 10 15 200 10 10 10 20<br />
Jeremie 175 7 10 8 12 230 10 10 10 15<br />
Dame-marie 200 7 8 8 10 300 10 10 10 15<br />
Les Cayes 150 6 8 7 10 200 10 10 10 15<br />
Jacmel 125 5 8 8 10 200 10 10 15 20<br />
Mirabalais 125 5 5 8 10 225 10 10 10 15<br />
As disparag<strong>in</strong>g as the prospects for egg production may be, Dom<strong>in</strong>ican imports have their problems <strong>to</strong>o.<br />
They must get the eggs <strong>to</strong> the border. The eggs must cross the border and be transported throughout<br />
<strong>Haiti</strong>, typically <strong>in</strong> dilapidated vehicles without refrigeration and across rough roads. This means broken<br />
eggs, lost time, and spoilage. Hav<strong>in</strong>g said that, producers <strong>in</strong> Les Cayes region are gett<strong>in</strong>g close <strong>to</strong> be<strong>in</strong>g<br />
competitive, sometimes sell<strong>in</strong>g eggs for 5.5-6.0 Htg per egg versus the price at the border <strong>in</strong> Ouanam<strong>in</strong>the<br />
of 5 Htg. Yet, the 10-13% difference is still enough for major entrepreneurs <strong>in</strong> the South <strong>to</strong> travel <strong>to</strong> the<br />
farthest po<strong>in</strong>t <strong>in</strong> <strong>Haiti</strong> from Les Cayes—Ouanam<strong>in</strong>th—buy illegal eggs, and then transport them all the<br />
back <strong>to</strong> Les Cayes, risk<strong>in</strong>g spoilage, broken eggs, and hav<strong>in</strong>g <strong>to</strong> pay bribes at two <strong>in</strong>spection stations.<br />
The Prospect for Small Scale Egg Production <strong>in</strong> <strong>Haiti</strong><br />
Despite unfavorable tariffs, a lack of government subsidies and technical programs, and a paucity of feed<br />
process<strong>in</strong>g facilities there is a very real opportunity for <strong>in</strong>creased egg production <strong>in</strong> <strong>Haiti</strong>. There is an<br />
enormous demand for eggs throughout <strong>Haiti</strong>. Even if Dom<strong>in</strong>ican imports were <strong>to</strong> be frozen at the current<br />
level, producers can expect market growth. <strong>Haiti</strong>ans annually consume only 45 eggs per person—<br />
compared <strong>to</strong> 258 per person <strong>in</strong> the USA and 200 <strong>in</strong> the Dom<strong>in</strong>ican Republic, the latter figure up from 124<br />
ten years ago. The <strong>Haiti</strong>an government, hav<strong>in</strong>g restricted Dom<strong>in</strong>ican importation, has a mechanism <strong>to</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong>crease and restrict the importation of eggs at will, artificially rais<strong>in</strong>g and lower<strong>in</strong>g prices of imported<br />
eggs when needed and giv<strong>in</strong>g an advantage <strong>to</strong> local producers. Eggs produced throughout the country<br />
would be closer <strong>to</strong> markets, mean<strong>in</strong>g less spoilage and fewer broken eggs, another advantage <strong>to</strong> domestic<br />
production. Moreover, eggs have an advantage over production of chickens for meat <strong>in</strong> that they can be<br />
s<strong>to</strong>red more easily, at no cost <strong>in</strong> feed, and they are far more marketable <strong>in</strong> rural areas. There may also be<br />
alternative means <strong>to</strong> promote egg production <strong>in</strong> <strong>Haiti</strong>, one more <strong>in</strong> l<strong>in</strong>e with the semi-subsistence farm<strong>in</strong>g