Right now, the country is just starting to relax just a bit after the cane farmers ended their embargo on the sugar mill and started to deliver the sugar cane after 11 weeks of delay.
It has caused a significant setback, and everyone is putting in extra effort to catch up after the late start. With one crisis averted, the Ministry of Agriculture is being called upon to intervene in another, this time in the citrus industry.
The Citrus Growers Association's executive is scheduling an emergency meeting this weekend to address its general members, the citrus farmers, about a delay in payment from the Citrus Products of Belize Limited, company which buys the growers oranges. Today, we spoke with the Chairman of the CGA, who told us that the farmers are owed over a million dollars, with no timeline for payment from the CPBL Management:
Eccleston Irving - Chairman - CGA
"Growers are sending their fruit and there has been really an arrogance of no communication or when that communication is had, it is not formal and to indicate that growers will not be paid. So, the association has had to be running behind really to get proper information as to when growers are going to be paid."
"That being the situation, it is the responsibility of the association to inform its members and the growers of the situation before time because it is very critical especially at the commencing of the season where growers have to put much financing up front."
All farmers represented by the CGA are being called to attend this emergency meeting on Saturday morning.
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