The rising price of cereals has led to the price of poultry products in other countries to go up by between 20 and 30 per cent while those in Malta remained stable, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi was told yesterday.

Paul Gauci, one of the directors of the poultry producing plant Valle del Miele, thanked the Prime Minister for the measures the government took to counteract the higher price of cereals.

Speaking after a tour of the plant, Dr Gonzi said the increasing price of cereals was a reality that could not be avoided and something that also affected Malta. The government had given substantial subsidies to curb an explosion in food prices and would continue doing its utmost to keep prices stable. After donning a white protective overall, Dr Gonzi was taken round the plant, where chickens are slaughtered, cleaned, chopped and packed. Farmers and breeders take chickens to the plant in Burmarrad about midnight so that the products are on supermarket shelves in the morning, ensuring that consumers get fresh products.

Dr Gonzi stressed the importance of fresh produce, adding that this was the edge that local companies had over imported products. He urged Maltese families to choose fresh products coming from local farmers and breeders.

Dr Gonzi commented on the modernisation process the plant underwent, saying that the owners had recognised the importance of investing in quality.