As we told you early this week – it was a very good year for Belize's Sugar Cane Industry. Deliveries were up, quality was higher than ever and sugar production was up, which should also mean greater earnings for farmers when the final payment comes due in November. It's a remarkable turnaround for an industry that only five years ago was in a shambles. That rebound was celebrated today in Orange Walk at the Dia De Los Cañeros – where national leaders paid tribute to the Cañero.
Hon. Francis Fonseca - Leader of the Opposition
"Our most important acknowledgment and recognition today is reserved for our farmers, our Cañeros and Cañeras. Those who work the land each and every day to make it possible for us to have a sugar industry. Today I am here to honor you and to pay my respects to each and every one of you for your contribution to Belize's development."
Hon. Gaspar Vega - Minister of Agriculture
"Only ten years ago the international donor communities were strongly advising you to exit sugar production. Sugar, citrus and bananas were termed the 'Sunset Industries'. The reality is that over the last ten year these three industries have earned Belize over $2 Billion in foreign exchange earnings."
Alfredo Ortega - President, BSCFA
"Our goal is to reach; whenever the factory reaches its maximum capacity of two million that we can also reach to that production stage in delivering those two million to the mill."
BSI and BSCFA plan to increase productivity to 2 million tons of cane milled over the next 5 years.
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