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Not very long ago - Belize's rice production was based in the Toledo District. But the Mennonites in the north surged ahead in production through the use of mechanized farming techniques. The Toledo farmers never had the capital to keep up with them - and depended on a government combine. Benancio Romero, who's been farming rice in Toledo for decades told PGTV that the demise of the combine also meant the end for Toledo rice:...

Reporter
"In the last few years, how many acres of rice did you grow, how many pounds of rice you harvest just you and your family?"

Benancio Romero
"For the past years I can't give us a sketch because my rice spoiled."

Reporter
"Why did your rice spoiled?"

Benancio Romero
"Because we don't have a combine to cut it."

Reporter
"Who did the combine belonged to?"

Benancio Romero
"Government - agriculture."

Reporter
"In the past Toledo use to produce rice? How much rice did Toledo produced at it heights?"

Benancio Romero
"About 18 million pounds of rice with everyone who planted rice. AT those time we had combine."

Reporter
"What happened to the combine?"

Benancio Romero
"As fast they broke up, they didn't fixed them and they were parked."

Reporter
"Who did those combine belonged to?"

Benancio Romero
"Government."