Rice shortage prompts G.O.B. to import full grain from U.S./Mexico

Rice remains in the news this week, with the latest development being that government has decided to import more than a million pounds through a dealer in Chetumal, Mexico. According to Managing Director of the Belize Marketing and Development Corporation Roque Mai, the first of three shipments is scheduled to arrive in Belize City tomorrow and will be distributed to wholesalers from B.M.D.C.’s North Front Street storage facility. Mai says importing rice is only an interim solution to the shortage.

Roque Mai, Managing Director, B.M.D.C.
“It is temporary because it is a state of emergency. It’s a state of emergency due to the fact of the flood and the farmers in Blue Creek they have already finalized and concluded their loss of damage is five million pounds of paddy so to equivalent them with Belize Food Supply, which supplies one point five million pounds of rice as well to the Belizean community on a monthly basis, we are bringing that amount, one point five million pounds of rice, as well.”

Janelle Chanona
“What would you like to say to the business community who has been capitalizing on the shortage?”

Roque Mai
“Well at this moment I’d say relief is coming now, I mean all this stress to the people, we apologize. It’s not what we meant. Some people didn’t have their rice and beans over the weekend but coming on this week everything should flow easily and the shelves should be full with rice.”

The rest of the shipment will arrive on Wednesday and Friday of this week. According to Mai, the Government is buying the imported rice from Mexican businessman Salvador Castillo for one dollar and fifteen cents a pound. The wholesale price from the Marketing Board will be one dollar and twenty-one cents a pound, with the retail control price remaining at a dollar thirty-one. Mai says the importation is a one off deal as by mid-June, rice from the local producers will be able to meet consumer demand.