OCHO RIOS, St Ann — While most poultry farmers were hit by the unforeseen crisis brought on by the novel coronavirus pandemic, Pamela Crammer cannot say the same.

The 43-year-old is convinced that God has had a hand in her good fortune. Even as COVID-19 wreaked havoc for many in the agricultural industry, her business was unfazed as customers routinely showed their support.

“Me just believe seh a God bless me because when me look and see how much chicken farmer lose sale through the COVID, and me did still a sell,” she said. “A lot of persons had fridge full with chicken [they] had to give away, and that never reach me.”

From her chicken farm she supplied more than 1,000 pounds of chicken per week before COVID-19. The numbers have held steady.

“Me is like Best Dress [Chicken, major poultry supplier]; me will have 800 pounds of chicken on a day and by the following day me have to be sourcing from other farmers to fill the gap because people keep coming,” she told the Jamaica Observer. “People from Montego Bay, Runaway Bay and all over find me to buy chicken. Sometimes me a wonder to myself if my chicken taste better than everybody else,” she chuckled.

Before the pandemic the bulk of her sales came from schools in the area. With the abrupt closure of these facilities Crammer thought that was the end of her over 20-year-old business.

“When mi hear that school close down mi start fret because me did have three fridge of chicken for them. But, thank God, mi find two restaurant and them start buy from mi. Then even more sales start to come in,” she said. She believes the quality of service plays a part in her customers’ loyalty.

“I deal with my chickens with care. I pick them and clean them up properly, so I think that is why people keep coming back. And sometimes is the relationship that you build with people,” she said. “A lot of times my clients take a while to pay me; but me understand that everyone has it hard and just wait until them have the money.”

Shantel Willis, who has been supporting Crammer’s business for over five years, told the Observer that she has always received chickens of superior quality.

“Mi never get a chicken from her that is tough or not cleaned up properly. Her customer service is also good because whenever I go there and request anything special she takes the time out to look for what I want for my money,” she said.

Crammer first got into the poultry business because she was unemployed. It has provided enough to educate her two eldest sons up to college level and she is proud of her accomplishments.

“I love what I do because it makes me feel independent…,” said Crammer. “Me just decide to try this thing with 50 chickens at first and it work out. Now me a raise over 1,000. It is such a good feeling.”