SIB Report: Belize Makes Less and Taxes More 

The Statistical Institute of Belize says gross domestic product rose 1.4% between April and June to $1.388 billion. That is less than half the 2.9% growth recorded across 2025, when the economy reached $5.345 billion.

“We can see that the largest drives were wholesale and retail trade, taxes, public administration and other service activities,” said SIB’s Statistician II Christopher Hulse Taxes alone rose 6.4 %. 

The sectors that grow, make and build went the other way. The primary sector, which covers agriculture, forestry, fishing and mining, fell 6.1%, or $7.6 million. The secondary sector dropped 6.4%, or $13.6 million.

Hulse said agriculture, manufacturing and construction recorded “the largest contraction for this quarter.”

Manufacturing fell 9.9% and construction 4.7%. Citrus took the hardest hit. Production fell from 10,400 tonnes in the second quarter of 2025 to 3,800 tonnes this year, a drop of more than 60%. Banana output slipped from 28,500 to 24,200 tonnes.

Meanwhile, sugarcane production climbed to 920,600 tonnes, its highest second-quarter total since 2021. Marine exports rose 33.6%, and shrimp exports more than doubled. Overnight tourist arrivals jumped from 150,900 to 194,600, and electricity output rose 8.6%.

Cruise arrivals dipped slightly, to 131,400.