The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS 

Tribune Staff Reporter 

lmunnings@tribuenemdia.net

THE long-awaited Golden Yolk Programme is expected to begin production by the end of April, with 10,000 chickens already in country and officials projecting daily output of approximately 8,000 eggs as the government moves to cut the nation’s $12 million annual egg import bill and restore self-sufficiency.

The update came yesterday during a Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources project advancement tour for members of the media. The Golden Yolk facility was one of three stops on the tour, which also included the Department of Marine Resources’ new facility and the cultivation centre on Gladstone Road. The delegation additionally toured the new passenger terminal at Potter’s Cay Dock.

At the Golden Yolk site, Justin Taylor, Animal Consultant for the programme, said 10,000 chickens will be placed in House Two by the end of April, with production expected soon after.

“These chickens are very well what we call, dorsal, they are very prolific, so we expect to have 8000 eggs per day,” he said yesterday. 

Mr Taylor said the birds have already undergone vaccination and health checks to ensure they are free from pathogens before being housed. He explained that the poultry houses are designed to support bird health and consistent output, with wood shavings lining the floors, automated feeding and drinking systems, and climate control technology to regulate temperature and reduce disease risks.

“The house is actually resilient against diseases,” he said, noting that proper environmental management is critical to maintaining steady production levels.

Mr Taylor said the Ministry of Agriculture has developed the product logo and confirmed that eggs will be packaged in biodegradable cardboard cartons rather than hard plastic.

He said the government’s goal is for The Bahamas to achieve egg self-sufficiency within two years, as currently, the country imports approximately $12m worth of eggs annually. 

The wider Golden Yolk project includes seven poultry houses in New Providence and 34 houses throughout the Family Islands to decentralise production and strengthen national food security. 

The Golden Yolk Programme was first announced in 2023 as part of the government’s broader food security strategy amid global supply chain disruptions and rising food prices that led to increased egg costs locally. At the time, officials said the initiative would stabilise supply, reduce import dependence and create opportunities for Bahamian farmers and entrepreneurs. The project has faced scrutiny over delays and costs, with opposition voices previously questioning its timeline and expenditure.

Agriculture Minister Jomo Campbell said the first laying house is about 98 percent complete and will be ready to receive birds once the wood shavings are in place, noting that proper flooring materials, hygiene controls and calcium treatments are essential to bird comfort and productivity over an estimated 12-month laying cycle.

Addressing concerns about high egg prices, Mr Campbell said the programme aims to remain competitive while providing certified quality Grade A eggs.

“As it stands now, as a result of everything that has transpired since then, we have now seen commercials where eggs are on the shelf in certain stores at under $1.50 a dozen,” he said yesterday. 

“And so we want to remain competitive at the same time making the Bahamian public aware that they will be having certified quality grade A eggs, and it's essential and important for them to know that the class of eggs is a classics, and the processing plant that we went in the last smaller building is a certified processing plant meeting international standards to guarantee that certification.”

On the issue of costs, Mr Campbell was unable to say. He noted that construction was affected by external factors, including equipment delays and international shipping disruptions that required rerouting around the Middle East.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis acknowledged that the project had encountered delays but said it is now nearing completion.

“I guess the scrutiny is because of some of the delays that we encountered in getting it to where it is, but I've always said a word to the wise, has always been sufficient. For me, my grandparents always taught me that it is always better late than never, and we will never have a never here,” he said yesterday. 

During the wider tour, officials first visited the Department of Marine Resources’ new facility, which includes four office spaces, a storeroom, a confiscation room and designated space for security personnel. The facility is intended to strengthen regulatory oversight and enforcement capacity within the fisheries sector.

The delegation also toured the cultivation centre on Gladstone Road, which officials said will facilitate the modernisation of food production through improved technology and farming practices. Another stop was the new passenger terminal at Potter’s Cay Dock, part of ongoing infrastructure upgrades in that area.

Officials said the projects collectively form part of a broader national strategy to enhance food security, modernise agricultural and marine operations, and reduce the country’s heavy dependence on imports.