The National Agriculture and Trade Show kicks off this weekend in Belmopan-but a major crowd favorite, Running W Meats, won't be there. The surprise absence has sparked a social media stir, and Director Escandar Bedran explained to Chef Sean Kuylen on their Facebook page that a pig shortage is to blame.
Escandar Bedran, Director of Running W Brand
"The shortage of pigs, the heavy exploitation of pigs out of the country, the high cost of what we're paying for pigs, we don't have the product in house. I barely have enough to send out trucks five days a week. We're only sending out trucks four days a week. My workers are only working four instead of 10 days, eight days instead of 10 days. It's crazy what's happening to us. We don't have the product to attend showgrounds."
"If I do go to showrooms, I'll short everybody. I need three to five thousand big bone for showrooms for one weekend, and I need six to seven thousand pounds of Italian sausage. I cannot sacrifice that to National Agriculture and Trade Show and leave my everyday client alone in the dark."
Sean Kuylen, Chef
"So then this is a direct repercussion of because you're saying we're exporting. So you think that is a good thing to Belize, but we have to feed ourself first."
Escandar Bedran, Director of Running W Brand
"If the government would sit down and discuss food security for our country and realize that what we have is too little for the country instead of exporting."
"We need to think about the Belizean people before we think about other countries."
Sean Kuylen, Chef
"Has this happened in a long time or is it just today?"
Escandar Bedran, Director of Running W Brand
"This has been going on since September of last year. We addressed the ministry about it and all they said to us was we cannot stop exportation."
"We don't mind they export as much beef as they want. Beef is not a factor in this."
Sean Kuylen, Chef
"So beef is different than pork?"
Escandar Bedran, Director of Running W Brand
"By far."
Sean Kuylen, Chef
"Why?"
Escandar Bedran, Director of Running W Brand
"Because there is excessive beef that the Belizean people don't use."
Sean Kuylen, Chef
"So now simply again we cannot go because we don't have the product."
Escandar Bedran, Director of Running W Brand
"Right."
Efforts to get comment from the Ministry of Agriculture today were unsuccessful.
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