G.O.B. to Resuscitate Citrus Industry in the South

We’ve been reporting on the citrus industry being on life support; the once booming sector that, at its peak, was exporting millions of boxes of juices annually. It has been holding on by a thin thread, producing less than a million boxes yearly. The industry was hit by citrus greening years ago and has never been able to recover and farmers have had to diversify their portfolio to include other produce. The Briceño Administration says that the previous government dropped the ball and did not make the necessary investment in research and development to ensure the resilience of the citrus industry. And so, Prime Minister Briceño says that after lengthy discussions in cabinet on Tuesday, G.O.B. is going to make the necessary investment to resuscitate the citrus industry. He referenced what happened in Costa Rica to save its citrus industry.

Prime Minister John Briceño

Prime Minister John Briceño

“The issue of research and development, investing in science and technology and the citrus industry is a good example. Around 2007, Belize was producing eight million boxes of citrus. Costa Rica was producing eight million boxes of citrus. Today, we produce less than a million; five hundred thousand. From eight million to five hundred thousand because of citrus greening. Costa Rica, who had citrus greening just like us, are producing twelve million boxes. The difference is that their government invested in research and development to see how they can combat citrus greening. Our previous government, they cut that budget to zero, to one dollar imagine. Our chief economist, senior economist and advisor in my office Doctor Avila said if the government would have been investing one million dollars a year in research and development for the citrus industry back then, we would be getting a return of a hundred million dollars. That’s when you have no foresight, when you have no vision and when you just squander and misuse the people’s money. Right now, we are setting up a small team to look at the challenges; the technical people from the Ministry of Agriculture, from the citrus company and from the D.F.C. because we have to look at the financing, from the Citrus Growers Association and from my office to come up with a plan. What it is that we need to be able to increase production? And according to both the CGA and the citrus company are telling us, with a little bit of investment, within a few years, we could easily be passing two million boxes in production. And what’s important, this is very important. I am glad you reminded me. It’s important now that the citrus company is guaranteeing for the next three years, they are guaranteeing eighteen dollars per box. So that will encourage our producers, which is the highest price ever, for our farmers not be able to invest and to put the necessary inputs into these trees so we can increase production.”