There's some degree of discord again tonight in the citrus industry as the second payment for citrus is due tomorrow and it's lower than what was expected. The Citrus Growers Association isn't happy about it and they called a meeting today to get some direction from their membership. As with all matters having to do with citrus, it is an issue fraught with complications and contention.
Jim McFadzean was in the Pomona Valley to try to untangle it all.
Jim McFadzean Reporting
The Citrus Growers Association formed back in 1967 says its mission is to ensure the highest possible production of the best quality citrus and sell at the highest possible price in order to improve the welfare and quality of life for Belizean Citrus Growers. But that mission statement is in question for at least this year's crop.
Eugene Zabaneh, Grower
"From what was put there, under $1.10, 63%. Over $1.10, 80%. That clearly shows who this product belongs to. This gentleman is selling our product, he is selling our product. There is a fiduciary duty that clings around his neck and if he departs so drastically away from what the market is saying. His duty is to come back to the owner of this product - which is us - it's very clear to say, listen, we have a problem here and this is the problem and I have to sell now for whatever it is. But he just can't jump up and go and sell our product for whatever he feels like and because it is documented, he comes and he presents it. No! That's out the question!"
Henry Anderson, CEO - CGA
"If they sold for far less than where the market is, which is the case this year, that's it the growers have to take it, and what I think the growers are saying under the tent that they cannot accept that. What they want to know is what's going on along the way, so if there is a legitimate reason to do something like that then let's have some dialogue around it."
Growers received the bad news last week that the steadily rising world market price for citrus being enjoyed by their fellow growers in the region such as Brazil and the United States would not be reflected in the second payment here at home, meaning that in a time of global plenty these growers feel left out at the local level:
Edgar Woodye, Grower
"If the prices in the world market goes up, then our payment should also reflect that whatever they pay on that the price despite the fact that is has gone in the world market, what we are getting is less than what we got last year."
Jim McFadzean
"The factory says that that was a price negotiated from last year."
Edgar Woodye
"Well I would like to know whether such contracts were in place and they should share those contracts with our CGA who represent us growers. If that is so it is quite explainable to me but I have not been able to get that kind of explanation."
Eugene Zabaneh
"This is criminal we are talking about here! That's what we are talking about here! And we cannot allow this gentleman to get away with this. It's as simple as is, too many times, 3 years now the losses that the growers have been taking for this same nonsense here. What do we do? Well we have to do something about it."
The Citrus Products of Belize Limited that operates the factory and sets the price at which the oranges are purchased is once again at the center of this controversy.
Eugene Zabaneh
"We cannot just have an audit because when we have a regular audit, what the audit does is to go to verify management's figures as what they submit, we want a forensic audit that will investigate and verify."
Henry Anderson
"When we are told that the factor is abiding by contracts when you are selling product at $.98 when the market is above $1.39 ok, that's a big jump. It's not like you are 10% off. You have to go back to your customer who you have a
relationship and say, 'Listen you know I lost money and I am way off, can we meet half way?' But you can't just be honouring the thing blindly. Now they have said to us that there is some room to negotiate in some of these things so we are basically repeating what they have been saying and it's on that basis, we are saying well if that is the case then let's dialogue."
In the meantime, the growers say they are now left with the responsibility of having to restructure the payments for their own financial obligations.
Reporting for 7 News, I'm Jim McFadzean.
The annual general meeting of the CGA will be held on July 17th.
It is worth noting that the Citrus Growers Association asserted its control of the board of directors of the Citrus Products Of Belize Limited at the Annual General Meeting in late April of this year.
