Preparing for the biggest Agriculture Show ever

The planning Committee of the annual National Agriculture and Trade Show is planning to breathe new life into the annual event. According to the organizers, a number of changes will take place to make the show more interesting and productive to both the private and public sectors. So mark your calendars for the first weekend in May. News Five’s Jose Sanchez reports.

Jose Sanchez, Reporting

The National Agriculture and Trade Show will be held on the third, fourth and fifth of May. According to Jose Alpuche, C.E.O. in the Ministry of National Resources and Agriculture, work on upgrading the show-grounds has been constant.

Jose Alpuche

Jose Alpuche, C.E.O. of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Agriculture

“We started looking at the grounds with two things in mind; one to begin building much more durable infrastructure and two, develop the grounds for use of more than just the one occasion of the show. With that in mind, we started doing some planning; there is already in existence a board master plan. We’re following a bit to that. We’ve sought assistance from the private sector and with government to start four projects this year which falls into the general master plan, but also too, after this show, we will spend some time in deeper consultation with the private sector with the uses of the ground to see how best we can finalize development. We’ve started what is considered to be a five year development plan and in this first year we’ve been very lucky to have the cooperation, the very willing cooperation of B.T.L., Bowen and Bowen and of the Mennonite community of Spanish Lookout.”

Eugene Waight

A road has been constructed on the ground for visitors to drop off passengers and the Chairman of the Trade Show Committee says this year will be the biggest it has ever been.

Eugene Waight, Chairman, National Trade Show and Agricultural Committee

“This is one of the biggest shows in Belize and the biggest agricultural and trade show. And over the years, we have tried to incorporate more and more agricultural and trade activities, encourage more agro industries and farmers participation to the show and expanding it to entities within the sector. This year’s show is slated for the third, fourth and fifth of May. What they are displaying to you is in terms of the show in terms of the infrastructural development. Another aspect that we will also see today is different layout of the grounds where we are trying to move all the crowd that is usually in the main street into secondary rows. This not only will move crowds from off that main street, but will also allow for other business, enterprises or people that want to do any other type of activity rather than being on the main street can. So we’ve expanded that area. We have also included some other infrastructural development work.”

The opening ceremony will be held on Friday, May fourth at four pm. It will include a speech from the mayor as well as the announcement of the farmers of the year.

Eugene Waight

“The minister’s gallery is a new building that will be a much nicer building. We will also bring in the trained bulls from Guatemala because if you want to have good show, you need to have bulls that are trained. It cannot be wild bulls that can kick and jump. So the rodeo will also have other activities and entertainment allt he way. We have the usual pageant on the main stage.”

Reporting for News Five, Jose Sanchez.

There will be a dog show and a livestock show on the final day, Sunday March fifth.