Fake Belizean Red Potatoes Originated in Mexico

An investigation by the Ministry of Agriculture and BAHA into the discovery of tainted Irish potatoes on the local market has confirmed that the contaminated produce, currently being passed off as the Belizean red variety, is being imported from Mexico.  Of the twenty or more importers who were granted licenses in January to bring in potatoes into the country, Chief Agriculture Officer Roberto Harrison admits that it is a bit difficult to the determine the quantity, as well as to trace the fake vegetables to the importer.

Via Phone: Roberto Harrison, Chief Agriculture Officer

“We have established that it’s definitely not locally produced.  The only licenses because they are quite a bit, about twenty licenses were issued for the importation of potatoes from Mexico.  So the likelihood of it coming from Mexico is that it’s from there.”

Roberto Harrison

Isani Cayetano

“What was the shipment route, do you know?”

Via Phone: Roberto Harrison

“Right now we are still trying to ascertain the exact quantities that were in fact imported between January eight and the end of January.”

Isani Cayetano

“Have you guys ascertained whether this shipment came in through the Mexico/Belize border or from the Guatemala/Belize border in the west?”

Via Phone: Roberto Harrison

“No.  We do not issue permits for potatoes coming in from Guatemala, only from two sources: one from Holland and the other is from Mexico.”

Isani Cayetano

“Okay, in terms of the swift response of BAHA, in light of what is taking place in San Ignacio and the Cayo District, can you tell us whether or not there have been confiscations elsewhere across the country?”

Via Phone: Roberto Harrison

“Confiscation has happened all around the country except Corozal and Orange Walk.”

Isani Cayetano

“In terms of what has been found, the quantity in terms of the confiscations across the country, can you share with us some information?”

Via Phone: Roberto Harrison

“Again we are capturing small amounts really, apparently this potato was on the market for over a week now and we are probably just picking up the last amount that are on the market.  They’re not plenty but you can see the distinction between that tainted, dyed pink potato and the locally red-skinned potato that we grow, you know.”

Isani Cayetano

“An investigation such as this, you mentioned earlier that several importers had been granted the license to bring in potatoes into the country.  Where would an investigation such as this start from?”

Via Phone: Roberto Harrison

“We begin by one: having the listing of importers that were issued the license to import to Belize and then we go to ascertain of those importers how those imports were done between January eight and January thirty-first.  And then thereafter, because not all the importers are granted the same amount, some larger quantities that they import.  So you have to look at those two figures there.  We also need to do some groundwork with the people that we are confiscating the potatoes from again to ascertain who sold them those potatoes because sometimes there’s even a third party that they bought it from.”