It's four days till you'll be able to enjoy your Christmas dinner - or, if you're from the north, plates will be served from the eve. But regardless of your holiday tradition, you may have noticed that the prices for turkey are a bit higher than last year.
Inflation has struck again, but the hike has not stopped Belizeans from getting everything they need to make that perfect meal. Today our news team visited two poultry providers to see what sales have been like this year.
Courtney Menzies has this story.
For most Belizeans, it's not Christmas without that ham and turkey, and if you haven't gotten yours yet, you might want to hit the store soon.
If you're a Quality Poultry loyalist, well, they've got you covered. Their freezers are full of turkeys, hams, and even chicken if that's more your style. And according to the Belize City branch manager, even though the cost is a little higher than last year, that hasn't stopped shoppers from getting everything they need for that Christmas dinner.
Andre Salgado, Branch Manager, Quality Poultry
"The turkey sales has been excellent for Quality Poultry specific and because of course we sell the best premium turkeys in the country so of course for us, we have been having a constant flow of traffic coming into the branches and as well our different distributors that we do distribute to."
"With everything there was a price increase throughout the year but our price didn't go up the Christmas season, the price of turkey went up about four or three months ago so we have turkeys, it varies on the size that you purchase, so a turkey 8-12 pounds, that's $4.90 per pound, while the bigger turkeys they're $4.75 per pound."
Reporter:
"The price increase hasn't really affected the sales though?"
Andre Salgado, Branch Manager, Quality Poultry
"No, because it's Christmas! Everybody in Belize and our household, we know one thing, we know a traditional Christmas dinner in Belize City and Belmopan and certain districts are turkey, ham, rice and beans, that's our traditional dinner, so no, people aren't upset about the price increase, as a matter of fact a lot of them do understand that with the price of everything going up, it was only inevitable that the turkeys also go up."
And they'll be open for the rest of the week, with more than enough turkeys - so you don't have to wonder whether you'll be able to get yours. And they're a one stop shop, since you can also get all the trimmings right in their outlets.
Andre Salgado, Branch Manager, Quality Poultry
"You can go to all of the Quality Poultry outlets, all of our stores currently we feature a seasonal section, so our one is by the cashier at the front here, so we have everything that you will need for that specific traditional dinner for your district, and I mean specific at that because like here we have your honey for the ham, we have cloves, we have turkey seasonings and everything but if you go to Orange Walk or Corozal or PG, remember their tradition is different, a traditional Christmas dinner for them is tamales or relleno so in that section we would have specific items needed for that, we would have the black recado, we would have whatever pan you need, whatever specific season for that dish but we do have everything available at all our Quality Poultry branches countrywide."
"We are forward thinkers, we know the industry, we've been in it for 47 years, going for 48, almost 50 guys, look out, so we already know and we already made calculations as to how we would process so for instance, for those that don't do turkey, we have the extra large chicken, so it's a chicken about 8-9 pounds which is, and just to give you an average of a turkey, for a small household, maybe two or four people, you would purchase like a 10 pound turkey or a 9 pound turkey, we have chickens that are almost in that range, so we do have chicken for those that do prefer the chicken and you do want to bake the chicken."
And the price increase didn't just affect them, so if you're thinking of switching to save costs, the other poultry retailer, Caribbean Chicken, also had to raise their prices. But like Quality Poultry, they say that hasn't slowed their business either.
Erica Ramirez, Secretary, Caribbean Chicken
"It's a little higher than last year, as you know everything is increasing so for this year, we have a little bit more than last year, more higher, not too much but it makes a difference for the customers that want to buy a turkey and a ham."
Reporter:
"But that hasn't stopped them."
Erica Ramirez, Secretary, Caribbean Chicken
"No, they try to get everything for their family."
"This year we are doing good, this last week that we are coming to the end for Christmas, we are having a little more customers purchasing their turkeys and ham, we have different branches from outside buying turkeys and ham for their employees, and we have the turkey for $4.96 retail and we the wholesale one, if you buy 25 pounds and up, you get $4.66 for the pound, and right now the only ham we have right now it Smithfield Ham, it's $7.30 a pound retail and wholesale we have it for $6.95 a pound. We also have our local ham too, we have Caribbean chicken ham, we have the chicken ham and we have the turkey ham, for Caribbean Chicken."
Reporter:
"And do those sell out as much as the other type of ham?"
Erica Ramirez, Secretary, Caribbean Chicken
"Yes, we sell a lot of those too."
Reporter:
"Do they taste…?"
Erica Ramirez, Secretary, Caribbean Chicken
"They taste very nice yes you have to try it."
So whether your dinner table will have turkey, chicken, tamales, or relleno, you've still got time to get those essential ingredients.
And in the case of Caribbean Chicken, one of their lucky customers went home with a smoked turkey today as a part of their Christmas raffle.
Email
Print