Will There be a Smooth 2023-24 Sugar Crop Opening?

Tensions between the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association, B.S.C.F.A., and Belize Sugar Industries Limited, B.S.I., are expected to increase on Thursday.  B.S.I. wants to start the new sugar crop season tomorrow at ten o’clock and that this was agreed to by a majority of stakeholders in the sugar industry and announced by the Sugar Industry Control Board (SICB). B.S.I. says that members of the B.S.C.F.A. who do not have a signed Commercial Agreement will be able to deliver their sugar cane under an open agreement that does not require any signature, just the delivery of cane. According to B.S.I., this arrangement is intended to be a short-term solution to facilitate the smooth start of the 2023-24 crop. And we’ll see if tomorrow’s opening will be smooth and without delay. B.S.I. Director of Finance, Shawn Chavarria, says that the hope is that the law will be upheld tomorrow.

Shawn Chavarria

Shawn Chavarria, Director of Finance, B.S.I.

“The plan is to open the gates at 10:00 AM to start receiving cane. As we had indicated in a press release last Friday, we’re also extending that opportunity to the members of the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association. As you know, we have not signed a commercial agreement with the BSCFA. It’s really becoming clear to us that the possibility of reaching a lot long term agreement with the B. S. C. F. A. is very low and therefore our offer to have an open agreement with the members of the B. S. C. F. A. is to facilitate their delivery of sugarcane to the mill, given that all the stakeholders have agreed to start the crop. On the 28th of September, so we will be opening our gates. We have long term contracts with three of the four associations. We hope that the B. S. C. F. A. members will take that opportunity as our press release indicated. If there is an agreement that is signed with the B. S. C. F. A. then that agreement kicks in and all the members of the B.S. C. F. A. will revert to that agreement. So we’re not asking or demanding that the B. S. C. F. A. farmers resign or renounce membership from that association. No, they will continue to be members of that association. It’s simply to facilitate a way for the farmers of the B. S. C. F. E. to deliver their cane. We think this is the best way forward, given we were not seeing any signs of being able to reach an agreement.”