Santander Sugar Says It’s Ready to Enter Local Market
Santander wants in on the domestic sugar market, following the recent scarcity of plantation white sugar due to rampant contrabanding of this commodity into neighboring Mexico and Guatemala. In a press release issued by the company earlier today, it acknowledged that, “the decreased availability of sugar in our local market is a problem that Santander Sugar Group can provide and almost immediate solution to. We have started our 2024 harvesting season without a hitch and will be producing the types of sugar as dictated by the demands of the market”. This is in reference to a recent announcement by A.S.R./B.S.I. that it was considering the importation of refined sugar from the United States to compensate for the dearth on the local market. Santander’s release goes on to say, “Santander Sugar Group’s analysis of the present situation has led to the conclusion that there is no need for the importation of refined sugar, as the existing gap can be filled by the sugar produced right here by Santander”. Earlier today, News Five spoke by phone with Beverly Burke, the Public Relations Manager at Santander Sugar.
On the Phone: Beverly Burke
On the Phone: Beverly Burke, PR Manager, Santander Sugar
“Santander Sugar Group’s position is a simple one, in that we do believe that it is a gap that we can mend an immediate solution to. That being the case, we do feel that an official conversation is necessary so that we can iron out the way forward. It’s a commodity that is utilized by every household in this country, therefore it is of great importance. We feel that Belize being the largest producing country of sugar in the Caribbean, we should never be faced with a situation of this nature.”
Isani Cayetano
“In respect to the license or the agreement for Santander Sugar Group, would there be, perhaps, some kind of an application being made by the company to have government grant permission for you to sell on the local market?”
Beverly Burke
“Santander Sugar Group operates under the Designated Processing Area which is the DPA, formerly the EPZ which was the Export Processing Zone. In becoming WPO compliant, we had to make changes to the incentives being offered to investors. When Santander came to Belize and decided that they wanted to make Belize their home, they wanted to establish something solid here in Belize, it was under those terms. When Belize made their changes, we felt it would have been an even playing field; however, we are still subjected to the Supplies Control Board which simply means that the only way Santander can sell its sugar is through an application.”
