For a week now we've been reporting on the molasses that went bad in storage tanks at the Tower Hill factory in Orange Walk. We've been covering the environmental side of the story – because disposal of the large volume of molasses poses environmental hazards. But tonight we finally know how much molasses went bad – and we've learned it from the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association – to whom it means the loss of major earnings.
Today the Association issued a one thousand word press release saying that 3,900 tons of molasses was affected, equivalent to a loss in value of four hundred and thirty two thousand, six hundred and sixty six dollars ($432,666).
The release says that "BSI has included this loss in its estimated cane price for the second payment to cane famers for the 2015/2016 crop….which will be shared in the proportion of 65% by cane farmers and 35% by BSI. The effect of this loss on the estimated cane price of cane to be paid to cane farmers work out to twenty cents per ton of cane. At the bottom line that translates to a second payment of forty eight dollars and eight cents per ton instead of forty eight dollars and thirty cents per ton. It adds up to quite a substantial loss for the farmers, and tonight they are objecting to sharing the loss; they want the loss should to be borne completely by BSI. They point out that BSI has sole responsibility for the cane once it is weighed, adding quote, "Whatever happens to these products during the manufacturing and storage processes is the sole responsibility of BSI, and hence any losses that occur in these processes should be borne fully and solely by BSI."
At a meeting of all stakeholders at BSI today, the Cane Farmers Association asked the Sugar Industry Control Board to Conduct an independent investigation into the loss of molasses and to compel BSI to take the loss.
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