The Cane Farmers and ASR/BSI met for three hours today at the BSI staff club in Orange Walk. And the news tonight is that there is no breakthrough; the stalemate remains and the season for this important industry continue to hang in the balance.
The meeting had a three point agenda, but according to our reports, no progress was made ultimately because the Cane Farmers insisted on having a commitment that BSI would pay for bagasse in black and white. BSI's position is that it has committed to negotiate a payment in a letter to the BSCFA Chairman and the prime minister.
Now, if the difference between agreeing to a payment and agreeing to negotiate a payment sounds like splitting hairs, it is, but for big companies like ASR, the splitting of those hairs could mean the difference of millions of dollars.
So the bottom line tonight is that both sides are not closer to a solution, and 2013 is closing without any indication when or if the 2014 cane season will start.
The complicating factor is that cane fields across the north remain inundated - and so the season probably can't start until mid-January, so there is still time to negotiate.
Both sides have committed to meet again.
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