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Southern coconut growers are getting organized. This week the Department of Co-operatives held a registration ceremony for the Toledo Coconut Growers Co-operative Society. The group is no longer an ad-hoc farmers’ group, but has a new status giving it access to a variety of services and entrepreneurial development programs. The co-operative operates from Big Falls […]
Written on December 17, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture |
Comments Off on Toledo Coconut Growers Register as Co-operative
Belize and Japan will be cooperating on agricultural projects in the coming year. The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Jose Abelardo Mai, signed a memorandum, of understanding this week with the coordinator of the Japan International Cooperation Agency Michiyo Hashiguchi, for the Development of Agriculture Cooperatives and the Improvement of Management Capacity. The aim […]
Written on December 17, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture |
Comments Off on Japan to Aid Belizean Farmers
Today the Belize Sugar Industries issued a statement saying it will proceed with the opening of the crop season on Monday the twentieth, despite what it describes as attempts at quote, intimidation and threats, unquote, hurled on Thursday by the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association. The Association reportedly informed the mill that they would not […]
Written on December 17, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture |
Comments Off on B.S.I. Accepting Sugar Cane December 20th Despite B.S.C.F.A. Threat
Neal says A.S.R./B.S.I.’s wants to make sure that the government is acting in sync with what its representatives are saying. So come Monday, the hope is that the B.S.C.F.A. will partake in the crop season along with the rest of the cane farmers associations. But, as Neal indicated, that is left to be seen. […]
Written on December 17, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture |
Comments Off on B.S.I. Says It Hopes B.S.C.F.A. Will Join the Opening of Crop Season
The sugar crop season in Northern Belize is set to begin on Monday, but the farmers are still at odds with the sugar mill. Even more concerning for sugar cane farmers at this time; is the prospect that tens of thousands of tons of sugarcane could remain in the fields at the end of the […]
Written on December 16, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Economy |
Comments Off on Cane Farmers Air Concerns Ahead of Monday Season Opening
Today the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Associations and the B.S.I./A.S.R. met to discuss a proposed new formula for payments to farmers for sugarcane. The proposals makes a change from the current formula which divides sixty five percent of earnings to farmers and thirty five percent to the Mill at net strip value. The new formula […]
Written on December 16, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
People & Places |
Comments Off on BSCFA Says New Commercial Agreement Proposals Only Address One Area of Concern
Along with a proposed change to the formula of payment, sugar cane farmers are also looking to negotiate the price they are being paid for baggase, the waste product of the sugar cane used to produce electricity. C.E.O. Alonso asserts that the mill has made in excess of one hundred and forty million dollars on […]
Written on December 16, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Cane Farmers Want More for Bagasse
Because they do not anticipate a quick resolution to the current impasse between both parties, the cane farmers who met today are proposing an interim agreement for one year, while negotiations continue. Association C.E.O. Alonso says the government has committed to assisting them in resolving this dispute. Oscar Alonso, CEO, BSCFA “Our main concern […]
Written on December 16, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Cane Farmers Seek One Year Agreement
The impasse between the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association and the Belize Sugar Industries Ltd continues to intensify. On Thursday, BSI issued a release saying it, “views with great concern the latest release… issued by the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association.” In the release BSI questioned whether BSCFA is demonstrating good faith by its “rapidly […]
Written on December 10, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured |
Comments Off on ARS/BIS “Disappointed” By Sugar Cane Farmers Statement
Will there Sugar Cane processing season begin on schedule this month? Following its meeting with the Prime Minister, John Briceno on Monday, today the Belize Sugar Industry Limited says it is hopeful that their trade dispute with the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association will be resolved before the expiration of the current Commercial Agreement in […]
Written on December 8, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured |
Comments Off on ASR/BSI to look at Cane Payment Formula
McLachlan also spoke frankly about growing reluctant of its stakeholders to further invest in Belize until the impasse is resolved. Mac McLachlan, VP of International Relations, ASR/BSI “This is a private business, it is a private commercial business here. So, clearly the onus is on us and the cane farmers to be able to […]
Written on December 8, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured |
Comments Off on ASR/BSI Investors Want Stability in Industry
In the end, cane farmers run the risk of losing out on the Fair Trade Premium paid to Associations on an annual basis. These premiums are paid as an extra sum of money, on top of the selling price to invest in projects of their choice. Having a signed commercial agreement is one of the […]
Written on December 8, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured |
Comments Off on Fair Trade Status and Premiums Could Be At Risk
For their part, the Committee of Management of the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association lost no time in responding to ASR/BSI’s statements today. This evening they issued a release saying that while the Belize Sugar Industries Limited (BSI) informed Belize Cane Farmers Association (BSCFA) about its counter proposals for a commercial agreement, these proposals focus […]
Written on December 8, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured |
Comments Off on Cane Farmers Still Hoping BSI Extends Commercial Agreement As Cabinet Recommends
The Vice President of ASR/BSI was also asked about the Sugar Industry Amendment Bill that stalled in the Senate on Monday. Echoing the sentiments of the Social Partners in the Senate, VP McLachlan asserts there should be less government intervention, controls and regulations. Mac McLachlan, VP of International Relations “I am a firm believer […]
Written on December 8, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured |
Comments Off on Enabling Approach, Not Over Regulation of Sugar Industry
The Sugar Industry Amendment Bill seeks to give the Minister of Agriculture the authority to receive and deal with disputes and complaints brought to the Sugar Control Board. The Government of Belize is accusing some Sugar Cane Associations of not holding regular elections, and as a result operating without a clear mandate from its members. […]
Written on December 6, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured |
Comments Off on Mai Says Sugar Amendment Bill “Corrects” What Associations Do Not Seem Able to Do
The Opposition says the Sugar Bill Amendment goes against the commitment by the Briceno Administration to minimize ministerial discretion. Opposition members in the House of Representative argued on Friday that the Bill gives the Minister absolute power. They therefore withheld their support for the amendment. Hugo Patt, Area Representative, Corozal North “I think we […]
Written on December 6, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured |
Comments Off on Opposition Opposes Sugar Amendment; Withholds Support in the House of Reps
Prime Minister John Briceno also chimed in on the Amendment, insisting that the legislation does not give the Minister control over the association and the Sugar Control Board. According to the PM, his Administration only seeks to ensure that cane farmer association elections are held in a timely manner. Prime Minister John Briceno “All […]
Written on December 6, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured |
Comments Off on PM Says Act Is to Ensure Timely Association Meetings
In the Senate today, the Sugar Industry Amendment Bill was most unpopular. One Senator referred to the Bill as the “worst piece of legislation” he has seen since being appointed to the Senate. The majority of the non-government Senators objected to the Bill, some even calling for a division in the vote. In the end, […]
Written on December 6, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured |
Comments Off on Called “Pee Pee in Milk” and “Power Grab,” Sugar Amendment Bill to Stay in Deliberation, Not Passed by Senate
This evening the Progressive Cane Farmers and Corozal Sugar Cane Producers Association issued a joint release denouncing the introduction of amendments to the Sugar Industry Act today in the House of Representative. They say this occurred without any consultation or true dialogue with either association. They say they sent written communications to the Sugar Industry […]
Written on December 3, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture |
Comments Off on Two Sugar Cane Farming Associations Denounce Sugar Industry Act
Last night we told you about Cabinet’s recommendation to extend the expiring Commercial Agreement between the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association (BSCFA) and Belize Sugar Industry Limited (BSI/ASR) for a period of six months. The harvest season is set to begin in a couple weeks, and with the expiration of the agreement in January of […]
Written on December 2, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured |
Comments Off on PM Comments on Commercial Agreement Recommendation
As we head into the Christmas season, one of the concerns that shoppers have raised is the issue of price gouging. This is a problem that is separate from the increase in shipping prices that have caused cost of living to shoot sky high. But, Minister Abelardo Mai, who holds the portfolio for Food Security, […]
Written on December 2, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Economy |
Comments Off on Minister Says Ministry of Agriculture Looking at Price Gouging
In agricultural news, Cabinet issued a statement today the Prime Ministers and his advisors are concerned that a Commercial Agreement between the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association (BSCFA) and Belize Sugar Industry Limited (BSI/ASR) will not be reached in time for the opening of the sugar season. Therefore, Cabinet is of the view that the […]
Written on December 1, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured |
Comments Off on Cabinet Urges Commercial Agreement With Cane Farmers Be Extended for Six Months
While the COVID pandemic has claimed many lives, left numerous families broken, and debilitated some survivors with lasting health issues, one businesswoman and farmer has used the pandemic as the reason behind her message: it is important to plant what we eat so that diseases like COVID will not cause famine caused by global closures. […]
Written on December 1, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture |
Comments Off on “Seeds for Life” Growing Your Own Food and Sustaining Your Family During the Pandemic and Beyond
Cabinet has been encouraging Belize Sugar Industries and the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association to continue working in partnership while negotiating the terms of its revised commercial agreement. With the crop season tentatively scheduled to begin in a few weeks, but with no commercial agreement yet, can B.S.I. continue to receive sugar cane from B.S.C.F.A. […]
Written on November 26, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured |
Comments Off on ASR/BSI Looks Forward to Meeting With PM
The next sugar crop is set to commence on December twentieth, but ASR/BSI is still at odds with the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association. This is over an existing cane purchase agreement which the representative body of cane farmers in the north argues should be terminated. While three other cane farmers associations are in agreement […]
Written on November 24, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Economy,
Featured |
Comments Off on BSI and BSCFA Still At Odds Over Agreement Ahead of Upcoming Sugar Crop
