Regional Markets Key to Expanding Belizean Agriculture

In terms of regional export potential, Mexico alone has a population of over one hundred and twenty million. Mai says having Mexico as a partner in trade, by way of a partial scope agreement, would be a game changer. We asked Minister Mai if Belize’s farmers are producing enough food to meet the demands of countries like Mexico and El Salvador.

Abelardo Mai

Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture

“We are self sufficient in many commodities. Our limitation here is our market. We are three hundred and eighty thousand people. I can saturate the Belizean Market with ten acres of pepper. Ten acres of hot peppers saturates the market. Fifty acres of tomatoes saturate the market, because it is a small country. But, if we secure a market in El Salvador, Mexico or Guatemala, that problem goes away. Of course, it has to come with improved quality, improved grading, improved post harvest management. Then we have that market. It is not just dumping a bucket in a container and sending it somewhere else. It doesn’t go like that. So, once we can secure those markets, we have the best farmers in the world, the hardest working farmers in the world and we have excellent technicians that will have to rise to the challenge. That is what we are preparing for.”