Tonight, the cane crisis continues, but things are beginning to take shape - and all sides are moving closer to signing an agreement. The Cane Farmers Association - fighting for its very survival - is right in the mix. But, tonight, there are credible shows of alternate grower groups, possibly large enough to supply the BSI mill without the cane farmers association.
Still, it's too early to say definitively which model will emerge - but today at a PUP press conference, one of the champions of the Cane Farmers Association, the PUP's representative for Orange Walk South, Jose Mai told the media that the branches have met and are willing to sign with BSI:..
Hon. Jose Mai, OW South
"Jules, as we speak today there are a number of meetings held in the different branches. I attended one of them yesterday. Actually, the agenda was one thing, to get the farmers to sign, to commit that they will accept that they were willing to begin the crop, given the agreements of BSI. They are signing with a heavy heart which is the last thing we have to do. There is no other alternative and we need the crop to start. As a matter of fact, I almost sign yesterday, but after doing some reflection I said no, I will sign but after I've made statement very clear. I am unhappy and I shared this feeling for many farmers and we have to sign, it is with a heavy heart that we have to sign. I think the important thing right now is to start the crop and to allow the farmers to deliver their cane. It's a 1.4 million tonnes of cane out there and I don't see how it can be delivered given the short time as time was wasted."
And a new growers group is wasting no time in trying to recruit members. The Corozal Sugar Cane Producers Association has joined up with the United Cane Farmers Association say they are opening their headquarters in Corozal Town tomorrow morning at 8:00 am. A press release says the association is fully certified and they are calling cane farmers to come to their office and join the association.
Added to this there are reports of large farmers going independently to the Sugar Industry Control Board indicating their intention to sign with BSI.
There are reports that with these independent movements, added to BSI's cane - they could make up more than the minimum of five hundred thousand tonnes of cane to justify the opening of the mill.
Still today, Mai told the media that he does not believe the BSCFA can be so easily put to one side:..
Hon. Jose Mai, OW South
"I do not believe that the BSCFA will splinter, for a number of reasons; one, the main reason being that it is the only existing organization that has the infrastructure in place for efficient harvesting and delivery. The easiest thing to do is to form an association. Get it up and running efficiently is the most challenging to do. So, in order to avoid the members from going over to associations that would be defunct anyway, the farmers, I believe in their own wisdom has decided to sign the agreement and to stay with the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association, of course under force measure."
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