B.M.D.C. says there is enough rice
And from taxes to rice, on November tenth the Belize Agro-productive Sector fired off a letter to Prime Minister Dean Barrow expressing outrage at the recent importation of rice. The letter to P.M. Barrow refers to a shipment of rice ordered last week Monday when the Marketing and Development Corporation imported one hundred and fifty thousand pounds of rice. And while rice farmers are up in arms, today the B.M.D.C. told News Five there will be no more need for future rice importation. According to Managing Director of the Marketing Corporation, Roque Mai, while there was a sufficient supply of rice in the country at the time, there was a valid reason for the importation.
Roque Mai, Managing Dir., Belize Marketing & Dev. Corp.
“The roads were flooded, especially the road to Blue Creek and I was called by the owner and there was about seven feet of flood so they couldn’t cross. So we thought they would have a shortage, which the week prior to come there was no shortage. But to avoid that shortage we decided to bring across Mexico which is close. We brought a hundred and fifty thousand pounds, which is one big supply. That is to provide the market not to have a shortage. The intention was not because we wanted to import rice, it’s because in the situation rice could not be crossed from Blue Creek. There is enough rice from Hillbank, there is enough rice. They had about five trailers ready.”
Marion Ali
“Couldn’t reach Hillbank either?”
Roque Mai
“Couldn’t reach Hillbank; couldn’t cross it. They did call me before the flood and before the water rises. He called me and when the last truck crossed it was about two feet under water. The day after the news and the weather reports said that the water would take about two to three weeks to recede. So we took it for granted and said you know what, we study the market, we can’t leave the market without rice. So what we did then, through the advice of the Ministry of Agriculture, we decided to bring across from Mexico which is a hundred and fifty thousand pounds.”
Marion Ali
“That has been used up?”
Roque Mai
“That’s been supplied through the country.”
Marion Ali
“What’s the situation now? Are we continuing to import?”
Roque Mai
“There’s no need; there’s no need to import because at this moment as I speak we have our farmers in P.G., big Falls that at this moment we are purchasing padi. At this moment we have close to three million pounds of padi we will purchase. By the end of this week we will reach three million pounds of padi. So there’s no need to import rice. Like u mentioned Marion, the only reason we did it was because of the flood. Everything is back to normal. We’re distributing Uncle John rice. One of two, maybe imported rice in the outlets; maybe. I’m not so sure. Maybe the one that remains that was brought in last week and including Uncle John, we’re distributing. Just yesterday Orange Walk, we bring in from Orange Walk and all was sold out. So we are distributing local rice at this moment.”
Currently rice sells for a dollar and thirty-one cents a pound retail. Whether or not the significant decrease in fuel prices will reflect in the price of rice is yet to be seen.
