MONTEGO BAY, St James — Trelawny farmer Mark Campbell literally placed all his eggs in one proverbial basket — the hospitality industry — which came to a grinding halt in the wake of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This left his business, Campbell’s Egg Farm Limited, in a tailspin. With unsold eggs piling up in his cold room and expected losses of up to $100 million, Campbell grudgingly started slaughtering and dumping his 38,000 birds after giving away hundreds of them, and commenced the sale of eggs at discounted prices.

But following the highlight of the table egg farmer’s plight, first publicised in the Observer West, the Government and Jamaicans from all walks of life rallied their support, resulting in the sale of half of Campbell’s inventory.

According to minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation with responsibility for land, climate change and investments, Daryl Vaz, he was so moved with compassion upon learning of the farmer’s situation that he had to personally visit the Trelawny farm.

“It moved me, not only on behalf of Government, but personally, and I was in touch with Mr Campbell immediately. I went there physically and the first thing that struck me was that the Jamaican spirit is alive and well, especially in relation to being kind, concern for others, and willing to help,” Vaz said, alluding to the overwhelming support from consumers who swooped down on the farm after the story was published.

Vaz has since been instrumental in securing markets at retail outlets, including MegaMart, for Campbell.

“He will sell 80 cases — 30 dozen per case — [in] an ongoing arrangement with MegaMart to sell 80 cases every 45 days, plus he is on to other persons…” Vaz disclosed.

“I also arranged with one of the major distributors to assist him with three reefer trucks that can do deliveries for him, with the proper storage for the transportation of the eggs. So, in essence, from a story that was doom and gloom, from the intervention of the Government and the goodwill of the Jamaican people, Mr Campbell is now back in operation,” Vaz said.

The Government minister said, too, that he has also put Campbell “on to the Development Bank of Jamaica, to look what his situation will be for the next 90 days and how he can restructure his financial arrangements so that he can survive through the period”.

He said that because of the experience created by COVID-19, alternative marketing doors have now been opened to Campbell.

“It has created a great opportunity because, as they say, out of adversity comes opportunity – and what Mr Campbell has been able to find as a result of the publicity was to diversify and identify alternative markets outside of his heavy dependence on the tourism industry. So he has now got a number of larger retail outlets who will buy from him during the COVID-19 and… [after] the COVID-19,” Vaz commented.

State minister in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Floyd Green explained that Campbell has benefited from a ministry programme costing a little over $6 million, which facilitates a mobile market for members of the Jamaica Egg Farmers Association through utilising a number of private sector partners.

“So what we decided to do was look at a strategy where we would enable the egg farmers to offer the eggs at a special price to help the movement and additional purchase of the eggs, and we worked out a formula where, basically, the ministry tops up that price for them or ensures that it was feasible,” Green told the Jamaica Observer.

“So we are starting with a little bit over $6 million in terms of our direct assistance to the association, and the strategy will be as the members move the excess produce for this special rate, then we will provide the agreed difference in relation to cost of all of those trays of egg[s],” he added.

Vaz pointed out that the arrangement was also carefully crafted to avoid a situation where excess eggs are dumped into the market at the peril of smaller farmers.

“So that was also of importance to get market for him [Campbell], that he would not reach the stage where he reduces the price and sell all of his stock at the expense of other egg farmers,” he said.

Vaz revealed that Campbell has now commenced the “regular feeding programme of the birds to produce more eggs”.

“It is important that the Government use this example to farmers that we are working with them, and it is important that they plan and structure their business so that they will be in a position to get back to normality as soon as we are in the stage of reopening our economy in full,” he argued.

Campbell has indicated that he is exceedingly happy for the strong support from the Jamaican people.