BSI Races to Protect Sugarcane as Pests Threaten Future Harvests
Belize’s sugar industry is battling problems from the ground up. Falling cane production, labor shortages, crop diseases and invasive pests are threatening future harvests, while sugar exports fell by eighteen million dollars between July 2025 and July 2026. Although major shipments are still expected later this year, industry stakeholders say recovery will depend on tackling the challenges in the fields. We spoke with BSI’s Director of Finance, Shawn Chavarria, about efforts to protect the industry.
Shawn Chavarria
Shawn Chavarria, Director of Finance, Belize Sugar Industries
“What we’ve been doing as an industry, we’ve lobbied for some support from the government, well, the farmers in particular to get some funding, both in form of a loan and grants, to apply some control measures in the field to eradicate the mealybug. And so we are expecting that if not by the end of this week, by early next week, those applications of agrochemicals to get the mealybug under control will start. The associations with the support are planning on doing about fifty thousand acres of application to keep this pest under control SI has done on its fields. And so by doing that, we’re hoping that we can limit the damage to the crop, because what the pest does, it eats into the leaves, which then damages the cane, it not being able to do photosynthesis properly, and then the cane ends up drying out and you see a reduction in production. So it’s one that we’re paying very close attention to. We don’t know as yet at this stage, what could be the potential impact. But if it is, if the impact is severe, then we could possibly see another reduction in cane, for next year. But at this point, it’s too early to tell.”
Chavarria said the decline in sugar export earnings is largely due to the timing of shipments, with major exports to the U.S. and European Union still scheduled for later this year.
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