The Sugar Industry Commission of Inquiry held its inaugural meeting on Wednesday, May 29. The meeting was held virtually.
A government press release says it had the participation of Wayne Piper, Chairman, and the five commissioners: Robert Mariette and Vinod Ramharai from Mauritius, Jeffery Joseph from Belize, Andy Church from South Africa, and Simon Gibbons from the United Kingdom. Also in attendance were Lorena Posada, Secretary to the Commission; Hugh O’Brien, Lead Coordinator for the Government of Belize; Marcos Osorio, Chairman of the Sugar Industry Control Board (SICB); and Krity Neermul, Technical Coordinator for the Mauritius team.
According to the government, the meeting focused on discussing and agreeing upon the general plan for the first phase of work, along with associated logistics. This phase will include visits to the mills at BSI and Santander, as well as farm and field trips to sugar production sites in northern and western Belize. Commissioners are scheduled to begin arriving in Belize during the first week of June, with logistical support provided by the SICB.
This commission aims to examine the entire value chain of the sugar cane industry and provide recommendations to the Government of Belize.
The commissioners aim to complete their report(s) by the deadline of November 30, 2024.
Carrot farmers in Orange Walk and Corozal districts will lose all that they have invested in this year’s crop if they are unable to get their produce to market soon. Dozens of acres of carrots remain in the field unharvested, which is uncommon in the north at this time of the year. The Ministry of Agriculture says the market is oversaturated due to unfavorable weather conditions late last year. The Belize Marketing and Development Corporation refutes claims that it is importing carrots currently. The farmers believe that contraband carrots from Mexico have taken their place in the market. News Five’s Paul Lopez traveled north today. He filed the following report.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
2024 has been a difficult year so far for carrot farmers, particularly those in the Orange Walk and Corozal districts. Carrots are not selling at the rate they traditionally would, leaving many farmers with acres of unharvested crops that are starting to go bad.
Sabino Yam
Sabino Yam, Patchakan Farmer
“I guess all the farmers that have carrots right now are basically in the same problem. Basically it is the selling of the carrots we are having problem right now. I have contacted some of my buyers and they are not buying.”
Sabino Yam owns a carrot farm in Patchakan Village in the Corozal District. On a normal year, Yam would have already sold all his carrots on the local market. This year, he has only been able to sell eight sacks of carrots. So, what has led to this shift in the market? The Ministry of Agriculture says there’s a glut of carrots on the local market.
Andrew Mejia
Andrew Mejia, Acting Director of Extensions, Ministry of Agriculture
“The situation we are having now is as a result of what happened last year. During the months from August to October we had a drought preventing the farmers that were to plant early based on the schedule we had created with the Ministry. After that we had an issue with flooding. That compounded the situation. So everybody planted the same time, around the end of November to December.”
To ensure that every farmer gets a fair share of market demands, they take turns planting and harvesting. Carrots in the Cayo District should have already been sold out by now, leaving only carrots from farmers in northern Belize on the market. But that is not the case this year.
William Can
William Can, Agriculture Officer for Cayo District, Ministry of Agriculture
“From the data we have Cayo planted sixty-three acres and from that sixty-three acres at the moment we have around eight acres to manage in the Cayo District so we can safely say that the peak of production in the Cayo District has passed. We will have two to three weeks of production left in Cayo and from that the only two districts left is Corozal and Orange Walk.”
The Ministry of Agriculture says that produce in Cayo should be sold out within a week. That will make space in the market for carrots from Orange Walk and Corozal. But farmers are not sold on the ministry’s explanation. Jose Gonzalez, a farmer in Indian Creek Village is doubtful.
Jose Gonzalez
Jose Gonzalez, Indian Creek Village
“Si, puedo nostros. We have our doubts. We heard that Cayo have carrots. But in the past they use to come buy eighty, a hundred sacks of carrots from us. And now they are just taking twenty, twenty-five sacks. So we have our doubts and think that contraband has something to do with how they are not buying carrots from us right now.”
Carrot farmers are convinced that the illegal importation of vegetables from Mexico is the reason they are facing these challenges. During our visit to a farm in San Carlos, a group of farmers complained bitterly about the negative effects of contraband carrots. While cleaning their produce to take to the market, the men argued that the government is not doing enough to stop contrabandistas. Mejia says the argument about contraband carrots is, to an extent, justified.
Andrew Mejia
“I do believe so and I won’t discredit them. What the Ministry of Agriculture has done is that we are in the process of re-activating our contraband interdiction team, compromised of customs, immigration, police, BAHA to see what is actually happening with this accusation. Otherwise we don’t have any concrete information on that. So until the team is activated we will be able to get a handle on what is happening with that. But I can assure the farmers that the saturation is due to oversupply at this time.”
The Belize Marketing and Development Corporation is also responding to allegations that it has received import permits from the Ministry of Agriculture to bring in carrots from Mexico. B.M.D.C. Is responsible for importing goods that are not available on the local market. Valentin Carillo, the administrator at B.M.D.C., says the last time they imported carrots was in November 2023.
Valentin Carillo
Valentin Carillo, Administrator, B.M.D.C.
“I have heard concerns about the carrots issue and I have also heard that we have License right now. I came here to clear it out. We are not importing carrots from last year November.”
Paul Lopez
“How often during the season?”
Valentin Carillo
“Like last year we had a meeting with the farmers and we put a cut off date. It depends on how the season goes. As if see it right now it will go a month, a month and a half depending on local production.”
Sabino Yam
“It is claimed that they are not giving license to import but still we are seeing Mexican products on the market. So what is happening? That is rhe reason we want to know. But some of the farmers do have evidence that those importers there are bringing stuff through the border. I am from Patchakan. Patchakan is right next to the borderline to Mexico. I can say maybe six four years back there was a lot of contraband. Now I have not seen much. As a result I can conclude that this contraband is passing through the border.”
Earlier this week, the United Democratic Party raised an issue about carrots purportedly wasting away on farms in San Carlos Village. The Ministry of Agriculture was quick to refute those claims made by Opposition Leader Shyne Barrow and pointed out that no importation permits have been issued for carrots to be brought into the country since November 2023. This morning, representatives from the Belize Marketing and Distribution Cooperation, B.M.D.C., also weighed in on the issue, reiterating government’s position.
Sergio Tillett
Sergio Tillett, Senior Projects Officer, B.M.D.C.
“The B.M.D.C. as one of the main arms when it comes to the distribution and marketing of produce does its best to ensure that our farmers do have the market whenever it comes to local production. And, as such, our ministry has done quite a job to ensure that we do site inspections, we do field visits to ensure that when we have enough production we don’t apply for an import permit. And even if we did, the ministry monitors that and they will never give us either because they have their extension services that monitor the amount of production in the country. We have figures as to what is the weekly consumption of every vegetable, so once we notice there is enough in the field there is no import permit. And that’s how we control what is there. So, one of the concerns that we have is that lots of the times whenever there is local production, the prices tend to be high and carrots is not really a necessity.”
Also speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture was Lennox Nicholson, Controller of Supplies. According to Nicholson, the import quantities requested by B.M.D.C. are often reduced and in some cases not approved, as a means of regulating the importation of vegetables into the country.
Lennox Nicholson
Lennox Nicholson, Controller of Supplies, MAFSE
“The licensing regime provides space to local producers, a buffer between them and imports, in that when local production is there we don’t allow the imports. But we’re not there to pick winners and losers between San Carlos in Orange Walk and maybe a producer in Stann Creek. They are both Belizeans. Both sets of producers are Belizeans. So they have to compete among themselves and that’s one the things that they mentioned. This idea, the licensing for these products also come out of my office and I can tell you, once local production is in, none is issued. There’s a process, oftentimes licenses that are applied for by BMDC, the quantities are cut and in some instances they are not approved outright. So as I mentioned, as I indicated earlier, I actually act as a regulator for them as well and oftentimes when people suggest that licenses have been issued and I ask, “Can I see a copy of it?” There is none.”
The United Democratic Party recently raised an issue regarding import permits and prices for carrots on the local market. It is similar to an issue that was brought to light a few years ago in the House of Representatives involving the rotting of vegetables on farms in the north, particularly in San Carlos Village. On Tuesday, Opposition Leader Shyne Barrow commented on what he describes as a wastage of locally grown carrots.
Shyne Barrow
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
“The complaint by the farmers is that it‘s all politics and it‘s all corruption. So the minister gives all of these permits to import the produce that the farmers of Belize are selling, so nobody wants to consume their product when the people that bring it in they sell it for much cheaper because they may be in a position to do so. This government promised to be a socially conscious government, a government that is there for the working class, there for the laborers, there for the farmers, and that is not what is happening. Everything should be done to assist small farmers, especially, but all farmers, all Belizean farmers, to sell their produce before we get to any distribution of importation license for those that our farmers are selling. And so, here we are again, the carrots are rotting. When we had the issue and the opposition was raising it, there was a promise that the sales department for crops and cattle would come, representatives would come from the Marketing Board and try to find a solution as to how to help especially the small farmers.”
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise has since responded to what it calls unfounded and false allegations. According to a release issued on Tuesday, no import permits for carrots have been issued since November 2023. The Belize Agricultural Health Authority, BAHA, has also determined that contraband vegetables are not affecting the market at present because of an increase in surveillance efforts, as well as a heightened military presence on both sides of the border to control illegal activities. Earlier today, News Five spoke with William Can, an agriculture officer in Cayo District.
William Can
William Can, Agriculture Officer, Cayo District
“In terms of carrots production, we know that well, carrots production, a synopsis of the whole crop season, usually in the month of August, September all the way February is the planting of carrots, it‘s carrot season. And then the harvesting usually begins from November and goes all the way through to July of each year. First of all, I just want to clarify that at the moment we have not issued any import license from our last import that we issued in November 2023. Since then, we haven‘t issued out permits and we still continue to maintain that, that we are not importing or giving any importation permits because with the local produce that we have, we have enough to supply the main market‘s demand. In terms of what is happening, this year is a unique year in terms of for the past year and what‘s coming this year, it‘s not one of the most favorable for vegetables and the viability of it is, in terms of last year, typically, right now the main issue is that we have simultaneous harvesting in all four districts; Stann Creek, Cayo, Orange Walk, and Corozal. So that is kinda why there is the situation that some farmers tend to sell more than the next and the prices are lower.”
By Hivy Ortiz Chour, Better Environment Officer. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Biodiversity is essential for life on our planet. Despite the technological advances of today’s world, human beings will always depend on healthy ecosystems for water, food, medicine, clothing, fuel, shelter, and energy, among other essential elements.
Healthy ecosystems are critical for maintaining agricultural, forestry, aquaculture, livestock, and food production systems, combating climate change, reducing the risk of pandemics, and protecting livelihoods. Failure to protect biodiversity, especially when agricultural practices that ignore the natural environment are promoted, puts our well-being and future at risk.
Hivy Ortiz Chour, Better Environment Officer. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), for Latin America and the Caribbean.
This year’s celebration of International Biodiversity Day calls on us to “Be part of the plan” and seeks to motivate governments, indigenous peoples, local communities, NGOs, legislators, businesses, and citizens to actively collaborate in implementing the Biodiversity Plan approved at COP15, sharing their contributions and committing to the cause. Everyone has an essential role to play and can contribute to the plan’s success.
The Convention on Biological Diversity has mandated the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to integrate biodiversity use and conservation criteria into production systems. This means agricultural systems must be analyzed in an integrated manner, considering soil, water, living organisms, biological corridors, and pollinators. All of these are essential for achieving efficient production systems that generate well-being for communities.
A fisher at work in the River Tista in Panjarbhanga, Bangladesh
FAO must ensure these aspects, and the ministers of agriculture at the last Regional Conference, the main governing body of the Organization in Latin America and the Caribbean, stressed the importance of promoting more sustainable and resilient agriculture.
This issue will undoubtedly be central to the COP16 on Biodiversity, which will begin on October 21 in Cali, Colombia. At the event, the 196 participating countries must commit to the 23 targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Framework, signed two years ago in Canada, to restore ecosystems.
FAO promotes a solid work agenda of sustainable production practices in various regions. In Brazil, the REDESER project promotes sustainable agroforestry management to conserve biodiversity and improve local livelihoods. In Chile, the +Bosques project focuses on restoring native biodiversity, reducing emissions, and recovering landscapes. In Guatemala, forested land is being reclaimed, and natural forests are being managed.
In Honduras, progress is being made in creating a biological corridor connecting protected areas, facilitating wildlife movement, and promoting conservation. With FAO support in Paraguay, the Ava Guarani indigenous people are planting yerba mate trees to preserve their tradition and protect the environment.
In Peru, FAO is leading projects for sustainable management and restoration of dry forests on the northern coast and initiatives in the Amazon forests. In Venezuela, the project Conservation and the sustainable use of biological diversity in the Caroni River basin seeks to strengthen capacities for the sustainable use of the landscape.
FAO also promotes technical cooperation in protected areas and the creation of networks to address common challenges in the region, such as forest health and invasive species, among other initiatives.
Preserving, restoring, and sustainably using biodiversity is a monumental task that requires the commitment of all sectors: governments, civil society, and the private sector must work together to ensure a sustainable future for our planet.
It is time to move from agreement to action to ensure a healthier and more prosperous world for future generations. A Better Environment is key to Better Production, Better Nutrition, and Better Life, leaving no one behind.
A deadly cattle disease has been detected in the Cayo District. A release from the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) says that anaplasmosis, an infectious disease that is transmitted primarily by ticks and the re-use of blood-contaminated equipment such as needles, has been detected.
“We are aware of cattle mortality in the Cayo District and that we have been actively monitoring and supporting the farmers in the affected areas.”
The disease can affect cattle of all ages, with increased severity in poorly nourished, pregnant, nursing, or older animals. The risk of infection is higher when noninfected cattle are mixed with infected ones and when conditions favour biting flies and ticks.
Symptoms of anaplasmosis include weakness, weight loss, increased aggression, difficulty breathing, abortion, and anaemia, which may cause yellowing or paleness of the mucous membranes and thin, watery blood.
The situation in western Belize is currently contained and under active surveillance, not constituting an animal health emergency at this time.
Is there another shortage of sugar on the local market? According to B.S.I., there have been complaints of a scarcity of sugar, despite the miller having increased the amount of sugar being sold on the domestic market when compared to the same period in 2023. B.S.I. says that notwithstanding the availability of sugar locally, the contrabanding of plantation white sugar continues unabated. The company says it has written to the Government of Belize once more to urge Cabinet to review and increase the price of domestic sugar. A release from B.S.I. says, (quote) the wide disparity between domestic prices and regional prices, combined with production shortages, particularly in Mexico is creating a lucrative incentive for sugar to be smuggled outside of Belize (end quote).
Belize Sugar Industries Limited (BSI) says that Hugh O’Brien has determined that the terminal handling charges and throughput fees are justified port charges.
In a release, BSI stated, “He also concluded that the industry is saving significant costs from the transition to the Port of Big Creek through more efficient loading. Therefore, based on his findings, these charges remain in the commercial agreement, and cane price estimates issued thus far for the 2023–24 crop stay unchanged.”
BSI and the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association (BSCFA) commissioned O’Brien to conduct an analysis of terminal handling charges and throughput fees as part of a two-year commercial agreement. The objective was to assess whether these costs, disputed by the BSCFA, qualify as justified port charges. O’Brien was also tasked with comparing the current throughput fee and stevedoring costs at the Port of Big Creek with those previously incurred at the Port of Belize Limited (PBL).
