$2.5 Million Boost for Sugar Industry

The Government of Belize has stepped in with a $2.5 million lifeline for the struggling sugar industry.

The country’s four major cane farmers’ associations had warned that the backbone of northern Belize’s agriculture is in crisis.

On Tuesday, Cabinet approved the grant through the Sugar Industry Research and Development Institute (SIRDI) to apply fungicides across 40,000 acres of sugarcane fields. The move is aimed at curbing the spread of disease, limiting further losses, and stabilising production in an industry that remains a cornerstone of Belize’s economy and a livelihood for thousands of families.

But the government’s intervention comes against a backdrop of mounting urgency. In a rare show of unity in July, the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association, Corozal Sugar Cane Producers Association, Northern Sugar Cane Growers Association, and the Progressive Sugar Cane Producers Association have jointly declared a state of emergency in the industry.

The associations said cane farmers remain under siege from pests, disease, and the escalating impacts of climate change. Yields are declining, crop quality is suffering, and with livelihoods on the line, the groups are pressing the government for more comprehensive support.