Over the past few weeks, we've been telling you about the plight of the Citrus Industry, and the serious struggles that they are facing with the drought, citrus greening, and the financial problems that the Citrus Growers Association is facing.
Well, the Citrus Products of Belize Limited sent out a release to say that they've seen misinformation about the industry which they want to correct.
They say that Belize, like other citrus-producing countries such as Brazil, the USA, and Costa Rica, started to experience a decline in production in 2010 when Belize's citrus became infected with citrus greening, which still does not have any cure.
They note that although this disease is still a big problem, the citrus growers enjoyed far better prices for their oranges and grapefruits. Those bigger payments started in 2017.
The CPBL says that despite the decline due to the disease, the industry is already on a path to recovery. Approximately, 4,000 acres of citrus groves were replanted over the last 3 years. For CPBL directly, this company is in the process of replanting 1,400 acres, which should be completed by next year. They are foreseeing an increase productivity by 2023.
Their press release ends by saying quote, "The unfortunate occurrences at the Citrus Growers Association, therefore, should not be attributed or confused with CPBL or the larger industry. It should be made clear that the challenges of the association should not be confused with the current state of recovery of CPBL or the industry at large." End quote.
