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He did have a chance to speak to CTV-3 in Orange Walk and explained why the company sees it as a matter of urgency to get the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association to make a long term commitment to the current commercial agreement - which BSCFA indicated they may want to re-visit. Ruiz say ASR/BSI needs that to make a 22 million dollar investment in direct consumption sugar:..

Celestino Ruiz - VP, ASR Group
"Today 100 percent of the sugar we are exporting is going to the EU in the form of raw sugar. The sugar isn't needed anymore in the EU as we all know. We have been talking about it for the last 4 years on October 17 the big quotas go away and BEETS are planting everywhere they can in Europe and they make it very difficult for our sugar to compete so therefore we need a diversify and what we are saying is lets diversify into a food grade value added product. In this case being direct consumption sugars that we can market not only in Europe but also in...."

Reporter
"This exportation means how much more money for cane farmers?"

Celestino Ruiz - VP, ASR Group
"We are projecting if you were just shipping as raw sugar and then converting it into direct consumption sugars for the incremental 20,000 tons that we are looking to produce hopefully this next crop we are looking around 2 dollars Belize per ton."

Reporter
"The BSCFA is the only association at this time that is not in total agreement with this proposal based on a number of issues particularly the bagasse formula being used at this time. BSI/ASR are saying lets cement this formula up until 2022 with something that we will be using. BSCFA saying that cannot happen. We are being cheated, it's not fair. What would you respond to that?"

Celestino Ruiz - VP, ASR Group
"We went through difficult times negotiating bagasse. If you recall 3 years ago, this industry is not in the position to relive that again and have another 3 years like we have the last 3 in that case. We won't survive it in my honest opinion and we have to move forward, it can't be that we continue to reopen these items that are unfortunately aren't going to lead anywhere. We are at a stalemate, we were in the past, we agree to re quantum. We just want to cement this 65/35 as well in sugar and molasses and move forward."

Reporter
"How soon are we looking that this agreement needs to be signed?"

Celestino Ruiz - VP, ASR Group
"Every day we are risking the projects that's at hand, we are delaying the project that's at hand and so if you are asking me? I would say right now."

Reporter
"If the BSCFA does not sign, we know basically we know basically, we have until 2018, but if that time comes and BSCFA does not sign what happens? Do we continue with the 22 million dollar investment? Which way do we take at that time?"

Celestino Ruiz - VP, ASR Group
"Hopefully common sense will prevail and we will all be in the situation where we don't have to cross that bridge."

Reporter
"Would the BSI/ASR consider signing an agreement with individual cane farmers if that comes to past?"

Celestino Ruiz - VP, ASR Group
"If under the sugar act it's possible, yes."

Two of the smaller associations have already signed on to the agreement.