Marketing Board Explains the High Cost of Basic Produce

Market vendors say they are caught in the middle. They are paying more for basic produce, but customers are refusing to absorb the higher prices. On Monday, vendors at the Michael Finnegan Market blamed the Belize Marketing and Development Corporation for what they described as unreasonably priced onions, potatoes and other imported goods. BMDC brings those products in from Mexico and sells them to wholesalers, who then supply market retailers. Tonight, the corporation is responding, as Administrator Valentin Carrillo explains what is driving up prices before the produce even reaches the market.

 

Valentin Carrillo, Administrator, BMDC

“This year we have noticed that from when we started importing certain commodities the prices were a bit higher than last year. For mainly two reasons, one, the exchange rate. Last year, if you are familiar with Chetumal, the exchange rate was eighty fifty more or less. Now if you go at the moment, it is seven-eighty. It is a difference of sixty pesos per dollar. It really affects the price. It is sixty cents, almost ten percent increase just by the exchange rate. Also, you have the climate change, which is affecting Belize farmers, also the Mexican farmers also. You have less products and higher agricultural inputs on their crops and so you have higher prices and this is the nature we are facing right now, the acquisition prices are higher than last year, because of these two reasons. When it comes to the condition of the product, I would tell you that we import two times a week for the same reason, so that our product are at the best condition at any point in time. So, unfortunately the weather is very hot, thirty-eight degrees Celsius, and these commodities need to be stored at a condition of eight degrees Celsius, seven to eight degrees. When it reaches here it is under shade and everything and it gets distributed. When it reaches the market is hot. So that is one of the conditions that accelerates.”

 

BMDC says the Ministry of Agriculture made it the only agency allowed to import certain Mexican products to ensure quality.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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