So, just how much will farmers and agro-producers benefit from the decision of the Mexican government to remove importation taxes? During his report on the President's visit, Agriculture Minister Jose Mai put it into perspective:
Hon. Jose Mai - Minister of Agriculture, Food Security & Enterprise
"Belize will now export to Mexico food products, agriculture products, beef, and other basic food products without paying duties. Mexico is removing the tariffs, which range from 15%, for example, in cattle, vegetables, and corn; 20%: milk and milk products, meat, fruits, and fish products, and others like eggs that have tariffs of 45%. Madam Speaker, even pig fat that has a tariff of 254%, is now being suspended. 0% tariffs sound so superficial, and to many who do not know and understand, they may think it is simply tariffs. Madam Speaker, the tariff suspension can and should be the greatest game-changer. Mexico's population is around 123 to 128 million people. Quintana Roo alone has a population of 2 million, and in the first six months, tourist arrivals should have been 6 million people. That's in 2022. There are 150,000 hotel rooms in the Riviera Maya. For comparison's sake, Madam Speaker, the entire CARICOM population is about 18 million people in 2022, of which Haiti accounts for 11.7. Madam Speaker, [here are] just a few commodities and numbers for us to understand how huge this market is and how much it can benefit Belize. Mexico imported in 2020 corn: $2.9 billion; soybeans: $2.18 billion; Soybean oil: $104 million - I'm talking U.S. dollars - rice: $388.5 million; Sheep and goat meat: $17.2 million; bovine meat: $687.9 million; pig meat: $1.1 billion; poultry, Madam Speaker, poultry meat: 926 million USD; and eggs: $180.9 million U.S., Madam Speaker. Those are some of the figures, Madam Speaker. So whatever Belize can produce and market to Mexico is not even a drop in the bucket but merely a sprinkle. And so, Madam Speaker, income to farmers, their families, and employees will pour; it will pour, Madam Speaker. Foreign exchange will multiply, improving or economy, and improving lives."
But before all those financial benefits could arrive, all the technical details need to be ironed out between the government agencies of the two countries for the trade to be free-flowing. Viewers know very well about technical barriers to trade that Belizean producers have experienced while attempting to get their exports into the CARICOM market.
The Briceno Government is keeping a close eye on it, and here's what the PM and the Agriculture Minister had to say about some of the steps that must occur:
Hon. Jose Mai - Minister of Agriculture, Food Security & Enterprise
"For the tariff suspension to take effect, the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Mexico must sign a decree, which is passed on to the Commission of International Trade for subsequent publication in the official newspaper of the Federation. This process takes about 8 working days, according to a statement made by the Minister of Economy Tatiana Clothier."
Hon. John Briceno - Prime Minister
"It has been a game-changer, but now, the hard work. e have to now meet with the technical people and continue to grind them and grind them until we can put this into action."
