Retailers are firing back at the minister responsible for agriculture for telling them not to limit quantities of chicken, milk or eggs.

Gerry Byrne says we are exporters of those products, so there is plenty to go around.

The Retail Council of Canada is telling the minister that grocers are the ones who know best how to run their business, not him.

Jim Cormier, the Atlantic director, says people began hoarding when bad weather forced a lengthy interruption in ferry crossings a week ago.

Customers then began asking them to limit quantities of certain items.

He says they pride themselves on choice and it is a competitive business so if one retailer is limiting an item, there’s a good chance that another is not.