As customers brace for an increase in animal feed prices come Monday, the need for the country to find a local substitute, to supply the nation’s farmers, has again come to the fore.

In a social media post yesterday, feed supplier, Nutramix, announced, that due to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, coupled with the ongoing increase in agricultural commodities, it would have to adjust its prices.

In the post, Nutramix cited high raw material costs, which meant, that farmers should expect a price hike.

President of the Jamaica Agricultural Society, Lenworth Fulton, says, with the imminent increase faced by farmers, the need for a local substitute for animal feed, has become even more dire.

Mr. Fulton notes that although he fully understands Nutramix’s rationale for the increase, the situation will seriously impact farmers, who have been continuously affected by increases recently.

Meantime, one chicken farmer from St. Catherine, Aneika Angus, says with the continuous increase in chicken prices, some farmers have attempted to make their own animal feed.

However, she explains, that this substitute can be expensive.

More importantly, chickens fed with this substitute are not always accepted by customers.

She says chicken farmers will be seriously affected by Nutramix’s price hike.