WILLEMSTAD – Venezuela’s poultry industry is pushing for the establishment of a regular maritime connection with Curaçao, Aruba and Bonaire to export chicken and eggs to the three islands, as rapidly growing Venezuelan producers look for new markets close to home.
The proposal was presented by Francisco Tagliapietra, president of Venezuela’s National Poultry Federation (Fenavi). He has called for the creation of a National Poultry Export Council and a frequent ferry-style maritime route between Venezuela and the ABC islands.
According to Tagliapietra, the Venezuelan poultry sector has been expanding steadily and is increasingly capable of looking beyond the domestic market. Fenavi reported earlier this year that Venezuelan chicken production exceeded 824,825 tons in 2025, while the industry still has unused production capacity that could support further expansion and exports.
The federation believes Curaçao, Aruba and Bonaire are natural first export markets because of their proximity to Venezuela and their dependence on imported food products.
Fenavi has been exploring the ABC market for some time. In 2025, Tagliapietra said producers were already negotiating possible exports to the islands and estimated that the three markets could initially absorb around two million kilograms of Venezuelan chicken per month. He pointed to both the islands' tourism industries and their short distance from the Venezuelan coast as commercial advantages.
However, establishing a reliable supply chain will require more than increased production.
Tagliapietra said Venezuelan producers still need to address logistical challenges, particularly packaging and preparation of products according to international standards. Products currently distributed domestically using bags and baskets would have to be packaged differently for formal export markets, including proper classification and dating.
Refrigerated transportation is another critical issue. Tagliapietra previously emphasized that chicken is perishable and that any maritime connection with the ABC islands would need to provide reliable refrigerated cargo capacity and sufficient frequency to make the trade commercially viable. Sanitary protocols between Venezuela and the islands would also have to be established or approved before large-scale poultry exports could begin.
The latest proposal therefore goes beyond simply selling Venezuelan poultry abroad. Fenavi wants a predictable maritime logistics system that would allow producers to move fresh products directly and regularly to nearby Caribbean markets.
The renewed interest comes as economic and transportation links between Venezuela and the Dutch Caribbean are gradually expanding. Aruba, for example, reopened its air border with Venezuela for commercial flights on August 1, 2026, subject to the necessary approvals and requirements from both sides.
For Curaçao, a regular cargo connection with Venezuela could potentially create another nearby source for chicken and eggs, but any eventual imports would still depend on local sanitary, veterinary, customs and import requirements.
At this stage, Fenavi's maritime route remains a proposal from the Venezuelan poultry sector. No agreement establishing such a ferry or regular cargo service between Venezuela and Curaçao, Aruba and Bonaire has yet been announced.