Cane Farmers demand meeting with Agriculture Minister

The Sugar Industry faced tremendous hard times in 2009, and the end of that year provided more frustration for the caneros in the northern districts. The season started in December with low production and long lines backed up at the gates of Belize Sugar Industries Factory at Tower Hill in Orange Walk. The Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association threatened to protest as the factory was unable to process what they believe was an acceptable amount of cane per day. David Madrid, the president of the B.S.C.F.A., says that his organization had scheduled a meeting with Rene Montero, the Minister of Agriculture to discuss twelve issues that are vital to the survival of the industry. Madrid says that Montero cancelled that meeting and if those problems are not resolved soon, the rest of the season could be plunged into further jeopardy.

Via Phone: David Madrid, C.E.O., Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Assn
“From the sixteenth until the end of the year they were grinding with a twenty-five percent less rate from last year. As a result of them breaking down because of the new co-generation, Belcogen, the transfer of steam to the plant, they were having the farmers stand in line excessively and waiting to push cane through sometimes at a very minimal rate. As of this day, they have picked up the rate and they were grinding four thousand today and yesterday. Tomorrow they are to take it to five thousand and we’ll see if there are any problems that will arise with that grinding. They think that’s a lot to begin with but it’s not very much because the farmers have to have an adequate supply to have them supply between six and seven thousand a day. Because of the poor quality and the poor grinding, the first three weeks won’t look good as far as actual money in the farmers’ pockets because of the poor quality of sugar. We’re expecting for them to change dramatically from this week on. We’ve requested several meetings with the Ministry of Agriculture and we were supposed to have a meeting with Mister Montero today. He has requested an agenda; I sent him a twelve point agenda. He has cancelled the meeting today and he doesn’t know if he’ll be able to see us within a week—this week.”