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BSI’s Chief Financial Officer Shawn Chavarria explains the benefits that farmers are enjoying from the manufacture and sale of direct consumption sugars to the external market. Shawn Chavarria, Chief Financial Officer, BSI “Farmers are already seeing as well the benefits of that investment, the increased production of direct consumption sugar. We’ve highlighted to them […]
Written on November 24, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Economy,
Featured |
Comments Off on BSI Says Farmers are Already Benefiting from DC Sugar
While Tourism, the Blue Economy, and Infrastructure Development are sectors that will no doubt be looking to benefit from the fruits the Summit will bring about, the agriculture industry is also looking to see how it can tap into the opportunities created. Minister Abelardo Mai shared his views on how investment can further develop that […]
Written on November 10, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Economy,
Featured |
Comments Off on Agriculture Sector Poised to Benefit from Investments
There is hope in the North that the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association and the Belize Sugar Industries will settle their impasse by the end of November. A release from the Association noted that both parties met on Wednesday at the ASR/BSI Conference Room to present their proposals for amendments to the current commercial agreements. […]
Written on October 29, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture |
Comments Off on Cane Farmers and ASR/BSI Meet
In an effort to boost Belizean farmers, GOB is inviting small holder farmers to apply for grants under a new agreement the International Fund for Agricultural Development and Green Climate Fund. According to the Ministry of Economic Development, the programme supports investment in the cultivation of market-driven priority products; vegetables: cabbage, carrots, hot pepper, onion, […]
Written on October 29, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Economy |
Comments Off on Small farmers groups invited to apply for investment grants
The last shipment of corn to Guatemala was exported thirteen years ago. Since then, the movement of wholesale grain across the western border had been dormant, despite the existence of a preferential trade agreement between Belize and Guatemala being signed in 2006 and coming into effect in 2010. When that external market was cut off […]
Written on October 28, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured,
Regional / International |
Comments Off on Belize Resumes Shipment of Corn to Guatemala Under Revitalized PSA
Testimonials from survivors as well as the loved ones of those affected by COVID-19 as well as the importance of vaccinations have been ventilated in the our news segment COVID-19 Chronicles. The pandemic continues to have a hold on the country – in areas of public health, the economy and tourism. But on the flip […]
Written on October 28, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Health |
Comments Off on COVID-19 Enhanced Food Security in Belize
Today, the media was invited to witness the early harvesting of carrots from the fields in San Carlos Village in the Orange Walk District. The orange root vegetable was of good quality and was a test carried out by the farmers to plant earlier than usual in an effort to supply the market demands. […]
Written on October 27, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured |
Comments Off on An Early Harvest of Carrots
Among the issues that have been affecting the industry is price gouging. This is being carried out by those described as “predatory persons” who mark up the prices, burdening consumers. Regarding recent reports that some carrots seem to rot quickly, Orange Walk District Agriculture Coordinator Barry Palacio says that all carrots – imported or local […]
Written on October 27, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured |
Comments Off on Belize Produces Good Quality Carrots
But in order to compete with the imported carrots from the region, which are being sold at lower prices, farmers from the New River Farmers Cooperative wants help from government. Soil quality, a climate-resilient variety of the carrot, among other things will take significant investment. Today, we asked Agriculture C.E.O. Servulo Baeza about what government […]
Written on October 27, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured |
Comments Off on Agriculture C.E.O. Says Help Coming for Carrot Farmers
A new agreement has still not been made between the larger sugar cane farmer association, B.S.C.F.A. and the millers, A.S.R./B.S.I. According to a clause within the standing contract that is soon coming to an end, either party can request renegotiation of a new agreement. The millers are saying there is no need for any negotiation […]
Written on October 27, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture |
Comments Off on Agriculture C.E.O. on Impasse within Sugar Belt
The Minister of Agriculture has the hard task of bringing the Belize Sugar Industry and the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association together to strike a compromise over their commercial agreement. With less than ten weeks left before the opening of the sugar crop, the association that produces just over fifty percent of the sugar cane […]
Written on October 20, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured |
Comments Off on Minister of Agriculture Weighs in on Cane Farmers and ASR/BSI Impasse
But, can the Minister of Agriculture act a neutral party in negotiations? Minister Mai is both a sugar cane farmer and a member of the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association. We asked if he is able to separate those roles to advocate for the greater good or if this is a conflict of interest. […]
Written on October 20, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured |
Comments Off on Mai Says He has to Represent All Interests Even Though He too is a Cane Farmer
The Sugar Association of the Caribbean says it applauds the terms of reference for the Monitoring Mechanism for Sugar (MMS) approved at the recent meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development. SACS says when the MMS is implemented, it will ensure that when extra-regional imports of refined sugar are being contemplated, regional producers are […]
Written on October 20, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured |
Comments Off on Regional Body Looks Forward to Monitoring Mechanism For Sugar Producers
The Minister of Agriculture was recently in Mexico along with a delegation of government officials, including Prime Minister John Briceno. We have told you about the discussions Prime Minister Briceno had with leader in Mexico about a possible railroad into Belize, and the construction of a bridge linking San Pedro to Mexico. And while the […]
Written on October 20, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Regional / International |
Comments Off on Agreements Being Signed in Mexico to Diversity Belizean Agriculture
Minister Mai has also been in El Salvador, meeting with his counterpart there. Mai also visited Salvadoran markets to see which products Belizean farmers might be able to provide. Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture “Alarmingly, El Salvador imports eighty-five percent of what they consume. They import huge amounts of food from Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras. […]
Written on October 20, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Regional / International |
Comments Off on Looking to El Salvadoran Markets for Belizean Export Opportunities
In terms of regional export potential, Mexico alone has a population of over one hundred and twenty million. Mai says having Mexico as a partner in trade, by way of a partial scope agreement, would be a game changer. We asked Minister Mai if Belize’s farmers are producing enough food to meet the demands of […]
Written on October 20, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Regional / International |
Comments Off on Regional Markets Key to Expanding Belizean Agriculture
We also asked CEO Shal about the rebound the rice industry in Southern Belize is currently experiencing. Recent images show truck loads of rice being transported from villages in Southern Belize to the rice mill in Big Falls. It’s a promising sign for an industry that CEO Shal says has been neglected for the last […]
Written on October 15, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured |
Comments Off on Rice Industry Revival in Southern Belize
The Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association’s (BSCFA) Committee of Management has written to the Prime Minister requesting a meeting on the status of their commercial agreement with the Belize Sugar Industries Ltd. The Association says its members are becoming increasingly frustrated by, quote, “BSI’s attitude to our request for the negotiation of a new commercial […]
Written on October 14, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Politics |
Comments Off on Cane Farmers Request Meeting with PM
The Belize Agriculture Health Authority is reporting two outbreaks of Virulent Newcastle Disease in backyard poultry in the Toledo and Belize districts. The government has notified the World Organisation for Animal Health and investigations are being conducted, but affected farmers are reporting high mortality rates. BAHA’s Central Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory detected the virus in samples […]
Written on September 16, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture |
Comments Off on Disease killing poultry in Toledo and Belize District; No direct threat to Humans
This week, the Minister of Agriculture, Jose Abelardo Mai, said that Belizean agriculture is taking the lead in the national recovery. During an appearance on Open Your Eyes on Monday, he said that “agriculture” is a verb – something you do not just talk about. He says citrus production has been in trouble for years […]
Written on September 14, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture |
Comments Off on Agriculture Minister: Citrus is “in ICU” and Sugar Situations Needs Improvement
The Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association had its say today during a virtual press conference. Representatives of the membership spoke about their desire to renegotiate a commercial agreement with A.S.R./B.S.I. Signed in 2015, it says that a new agreement can be negotiated after seven years, or the existing agreement can be rolled over. B.S.C.F.A. is […]
Written on September 2, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured |
Comments Off on Cane Farmers Want to Renegotiate Agreement with A.S.R./B.S.I.
The commercial agreement expires in January of 2022. With the annual cane season slated to start in December, barring unexpected delays, the association is hopeful that an agreement can be reached. Those hopes may just be pipe dreams if A.S.R./B.S.I. decides not to come to the table. B.S.C.F.A. says it is also asking A.S.R./B.S.I. to […]
Written on September 2, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured |
Comments Off on Cane Farmers Want Recalculation of Percentage Split
Viewers may recall the impasse between B.S.C.F.A. and B.S.I. back in 2013/2014 over bagasse. That impasse caused the sugar cane crop season to get off to a late start. And, according to A.S.R./B.S.I. it cost the industry twenty million dollars in revenue losses. With crop season set to start in a few months, B.S.C.F.A. is […]
Written on September 2, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured |
Comments Off on Bagasse Impasse of 2013/14 Used as Example for Renegotiation
So, what is the association’s alternative if an agreement is not reached before the reopening of the crop season? We asked if they intend to hold the industry hostage as a majority sugar cane producer. Oscar Alonzo, Executive Director, B.S.C.F.A. “You are talking the same way B.S.I. has said, and I understand your concern. […]
Written on September 2, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured |
Comments Off on Will Cane Farmers Refuse to Supply Cane if No Negotiations?
The U.S. Embassy has donated essential equipment to the Belize Agricultural Health Authority to aid in Mediterranean fruit fly eradication efforts. The donation, valued at over forty thousand U.S. dollars, includes insect traps and lures for field operations in two active Medfly outbreak initiatives in the Sapodilla Cayes and the Placencia Peninsula. The U.S. Government […]
Written on August 31, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
People & Places |
Comments Off on US Embassy Provides Equipment to Fight Medfly
