And while Heritage Bank is lending a helping hand in Hattieville, the Minister of Agriculture is looking to assist various small businesses in that sector. On the last leg of his countrywide familiarization tour in Corozal, Minister Jose Mai visited the unique Quality Shrimp Farm, the family-owned Lopez Martinez Dairy Farm, a vegetable farm owned by the Concepcion Farmers Group, and an apiary which produces the "Pura Miel" honey.
In an interview with the Belize Press Office, the Minister explained the contribution of each of these businesses to the northern region and pledged to assist them in anyway the ministry could.
Hon. Jose Mai, Minister of Agriculture
"This morning we saw shrimp, I think, a shrimp farm in Libertad. This is the only shrimp farm in the country where shrimp is being grown in fresh water, very little parts of salt in the water. We saw that system this morning, it is the only system in the country, we understand they are doing extremely well in terms of the production and the prices. I understand that they're planning to expand, which is a good thing. Again, foreign exchange earnings and employment, it's very good for the area. We went further to see a vegetable farm in Concepcion, a group of young people involved in production of carrots and cabbage and they're going extremely well. You'll understand that this part of the country is sugar cane predominantly. But sugar cane has it's own struggles, it's own problems, and so people are diversifying."
"We then travelled to Sarteneja, and in Sarteneja now, we saw an apiary, again this is a fishing community, but you see that diversification is now occurring. COVID affected even the fish industry and they have now diversified to other things. They're doing honey production, they're doing wine, and so they're doing very well. They have a few technical problem which I think we can address but I think they are well on their way to success and we need to continue to support them technically and whatever way we can we will."
"Before we came here we visited a dairy farm, from what I understand is the only dairy farm in this part of the country, this part of the district. In San Joaquin, it's owned by a family, very few dairy cows, but again they explained to us that the sales of fresh milk, of fresh cheese - various types, salted cheese and such, is selling very well. It means that the Belizeans people are shifted their choice to fresh cheese and fresh milk. They lady explained that she cannot supply the market in San Joaquin in the neighboring villages, so it's a very good thing and she plans to expand, that's the wonderful thing."
