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But one thing that the so called radicals like Ortega and Teck agree on with the Prime Minister is that going forward, there must be equity in cane quotas. We're talking about the expected increased capacity of the BSI sugar mill - funded by ASR. IT will increase capacity - but who will get to supply it with more cane? Will it be the farmers of BSI itself? BSI is obviously in a better position since it has the money to expand. Yesterday Ortega raised concerns about this as did the Prime Minister:..

Alfredo Ortega, Director, Orange Walk Branch, B.S.C.F.A
"We don't want this to happen that the manufacturers will have that opportunity to outbreak with production when every acre that the producer would plant, that means one acre less for the farmers. We are here to fight for the benefit of the farmers, so that the manufacturer stops planting and the farmers be the ones to control all the production that is needed for the plant."

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"Since the potential for capacity increase is almost limitless, depending merely on how much money ASR is prepared to spend, I don't think it would be fair to say that BSI's quota can never increase, Depending on the extent of the capacity increase and how it is done, the SCPC will look at, examine all the quest for quota increases on the part of individual farmers, and on the part of ASR and SCPC must always hold the balance even or ensure an allocation, a configuration, that does not in any way prejudice the farmers."

As part of the industry's strategic investment plan, the government will agree to fund increased acreages for farmers while sponsoring initiatives for better yields.