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Since then, the Minister of Agriculture and Deputy Prime Minister, Gaspar Vega, has been hard at work trying to convince both sides to schedule to resume negotiations. On Wednesday, he met with ASR and today at the Sugar Industries Control Board in Orange Walk, he had a 2-hour sit down with cane farmers. 7News was there when the meeting ended, and we spoke to Vega about the progress - if any - he had made:

Hon. Gaspar Vega, Deputy Prime Minister
"It was a very cordial meeting, everybody was very respectful, honest, and sincere and I think they were very straight to the point. The cane farmers are consistent in their position that they will not start a crop unless they finalize some agreement regarding the bagasse. My plea to them is to go back to the table. I am going to get in touch with ASR/BSI for them to come back and meet them and to see what kind of compromise they can reach."

Daniel Ortiz
"Can you give us a response, having met with both sides how tangible is that new meeting scheduling at this point?"

Hon. Gaspar Vega, Deputy Prime Minister
"I am certain that both parties recognized the importance of some type of agreement because neither BSI and exist without the cane farmers or the cane farmers can exist without BSI."

Daniel Ortiz
"At this time can you tell us about what the reaction has been from ASR that BSCFA did not attend that meeting that they flew in for? These are senior executives who had to reschedule their time just to come to Belize and they were kind of snubbed because of this boycott that BSCFA launched."

Hon. Gaspar Vega, Deputy Prime Minister
"It is natural, they were disappointed. I am certain that they had expected the leaders of the Cane Farmers Association to meet with them that's why Mr. Lima along with two other senior executive members from ASR came down for that meeting, it didn't occur. I believe that both parties have to recognized that they are strong on their position and they cannot just decide that well, we won't do anything about it because of not we won't have a crop - we won't have an industry and both parties have a lot to lose, so therefore I am certain that they will have to meet. I am of the opinion that they will meet."

"I wish I could tell ASR that they have to pay the cane farmers or if the possibility was there that I could tell the cane farmers that they will have to cut their cane. We cannot do either one. All we are hoping and asking them is to stay sober and whatever decision they take is to be mature on their decision. They have committed that definitely whatever decision they make - if they decide that will not deliver cane they are not asking for demonstration, they are not asking for confrontation - the cane farmers will stay in their homes and that's how they are going to show their dissatisfaction."

So, what do the cane farmers have to say about the meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister? Well, today when we spoke to Alfredo Ortega, the Vice-Chairman of BSCFA's Committee of Management, he told us that the cane farmers are mindful of the harm they will do if they choose not to deliver their sugar cane, and they want to engage in meaningful negotiations on the bagasse issue:

Alfredo Ortega, Vice President - Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association
"As you know we had a meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister and our plea to him was to intervene in regards to this situation that we are presently having with BSI. What we ask from him is that we want his intervention so that we can finalize this negotiation with BSI."

Mike Rudon, reporter
"And his response?"

Alfredo Ortega, Vice President - Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association
"He said that he will call on BSI so that we can restart the negotiation again. He didn't compromise that he can tell BSI what to pay us or how to pay us, but he compromise himself that he will call BSI to come to the table and let us dialogue."

Reporter
"Any date set for that?"

Alfredo Ortega, Vice President - Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association
"No, a date was not set, but we told him that we would want this to be very near because as you know we are almost reaching the month of December and we want to be prepared, so when the time permits that everything has been cleared and then we can agree upon a start for the crop."

On Sunday, BSCFA will hold a meeting with its general membership to consult with them about how far the situation has progressed, and how they will treat certain proposals from ASR when that second meeting is scheduled.