The country’s main agricultural body is again lobbying the government to curb meat imports, warning that a glut of Barbadian pork and poultry is overwhelming cold stores and placing farmers under severe financial strain.

The chief executive of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS), James Paul, said meat producers are facing intense pressure as cold storage facilities reach maximum capacity.

To address what he described as a growing imbalance between domestic supply and foreign imports, he urged the government to review existing trade policies, plug regulatory loopholes, and restrict or temporarily suspend competing meat imports to allow the market time to absorb the surplus.