Belize’s Sugar Exports Take a Hit as Domestic Exports Fall 37% in July
Belize’s domestic exports fell sharply in July, dropping 37.2 percent to $38.5 million compared to $61.3 million a year earlier, driven largely by a steep decline in sugar sales, according to the Statistical Institute of Belize.
Sugar earnings fell $18.8 million, from $35.8 million to $17.0 million, as exported quantities dropped by more than half. Citrus exports also declined, falling $2.4 million as orange concentrate sales weakened, while molasses revenue nearly disappeared, dropping from $2.0 million to less than $0.1 million. Marine product earnings fell $1.3 million, driven by fewer lobster tail sales and a complete absence of shrimp exports, compared to shipments recorded the previous July.
Not every export category declined. Banana earnings ticked up slightly to $6.3 million, animal feed revenue rose to $0.7 million on improved prices, and formal cattle exports jumped $1.6 million to $2.4 million.
The export slump hit hardest in Belize’s traditional markets. Earnings from the United Kingdom collapsed by $18.0 million, falling to just $3.2 million, almost entirely due to reduced sugar sales. Revenue from the United States dropped $4.4 million, also tied to weaker sugar sales and no molasses exports during the month. CARICOM earnings fell $2.1 million on lower orange concentrate sales. Mexico was the exception, with export earnings more than doubling to $2.9 million on higher cattle and crude soybean oil sales.
On the import side, Belize’s total imports for July stood at $261.3 million, down 1.9 percent from $266.3 million a year earlier. The decline was driven by reduced imports into the Commercial Free Zone, which fell $16.3 million on lower purchases of cigarettes, tennis shoes, and clothing, along with a $10.5 million drop in food and live animal imports tied to lower wheat, instant noodle, and coffee purchases.
Fuel imports moved in the opposite direction, rising $11.2 million to $44.8 million on higher diesel prices and increased propane and butane purchases. Machinery and transport equipment imports also climbed $9.0 million, driven by power generators, four-cylinder vehicles, and an all-terrain mobile crane.
Looking at the broader picture, merchandise imports for the first seven months of 2026 totaled $1.912 billion, up 15.7 percent from the same period last year, led by a $104.0 million surge in fuel imports tied to higher global prices. Merchandise exports over the same seven-month period totaled $205.2 million, down 18.6 percent, with sugar earnings alone falling $26.8 million as exported quantities dropped nearly 30 percent for the year.