Sugar Crop Start in Limbo as BSI & Cane Farmers Deal Still Pending

Tonight, a familiar tension is hanging over the sugar belt. Belize Sugar Industries and the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association remain without a signed commercial agreement for this season. In past years, that gap has led to industrial action and brought milling operations to a standstill, costly for farmers, mills, and the wider economy. And timing matters: the crop’s start has already slipped due to bad weather and ongoing maintenance at the mill. Any further dispute could push the date back even more. Still, there’s a note of optimism, Sugar Industry Control Board Chairman Marcos Osorio says an agreement could be reached soon.

 

Marcos Osorio, Chairman, Sugar Industry Control Board

“To date, the Belize Sugarcane Farmers Association has not signed a contract with BSI or BSI has not signed a contract with the BSCFA. We are hopeful that happens in the coming days or before the end of the year. And we anticipate that there’ll be no major hurdles. I believe it’s important to mention. The mill has maintained a position in recent years that any contract or renewal of contract must be seven years. We have a meeting scheduled with all stakeholders along with the minister next week Tuesday, and I hope that at that meeting we can vent whatever is the status in terms of the arriving of a signing of contract between BSI and BSCFA.” 

 

Shane Williams

“With an already late start and facing disease, bad weather would delay in any signing of contracts between the Miller and the sugar cane planters. Would that be almost like a dead blow for this season’s crop?”

 

Marcos Osorio

“I would, I want to remain optimistic that will not be the case that both parties. Would flex that both parties do come to the table with the, with good faith. Overall, good faith in terms of negotiating because if one side comes with interest of negotiating and the other side holds a hard position, then there is no negotiation and we cannot call that negotiations. In order for negotiations to happen. Both sides need to be prepared for give in to something so that we can get over and reach an amicable solution.”

We’ll keep you updated on what that means for the start of the crop and for deliveries in the days ahead.