Minister Mai: B.S.C.F.A. Leadership Willing to Accept One-Year Interim Agreement in Principle

Jose Abelardo Mai

According to Mai, the Ministry of Agriculture has been in discussions with A.S.R./B.S.I. to have the proposed two-year interim agreement reduced to one year. But, will the sugarcane farmers yield to a one-year agreement, with only seven days left before SICB’s proposed start date for the 2022/2023 sugar crop? Minister Mai says the farmers will meet tomorrow to deliberate.

Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture

“As we speak my CEO is engaging with ASR/BSI to discuss the agreement. I believe they will accept the one year agreement and I do not want to use word interim. For some reason or another when you use the word interim it makes belief that it is only a little shimmy agreement and maybe that is the reason why Fair Trade premiums were withheld from the BSCFA which is unfair. So, we are looking for one year agreement and we hope this agreement would be honored by those who are responsible for making Fair Trade premiums available to the association. And so, that is where we are right now, but as we speak my CEO is engaging with people from B.S.I.”

Reporter

“Are you aware whether B.S.C.F.A. would be open to accepting this one year agreement?”

Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture

“From what I have heard and what they have shared with me, the leaders are prepared to accept this one year. However it is the general assembly that makes that decision and that decision will be made tomorrow. The farmers will be meeting tomorrow to decide what they will accept.”