Turning now to another matter of national concern… the latest news coming out of the sugar industry in the north is that the mediation efforts between BSI/ASR and the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association have failed.
The Sugar Industries Control Board and its chairman have been holding out on gazetting the official start of the season in the hopes that the millers and the biggest of the four cane farming associations could work out their commercial disagreement that has remained unresolved for over a year. Though the negotiation process was being guided by one of the country's most senior mediators, the divide between the two sides was not sufficiently bridged for a signed agreement to be produced.
But, according to Agriculture Minister Jose Mai, all is not lost; these two business partners have agreed to sign another interim agreement for one year to ensure no interruptions in the industry while they continue to dialog and negotiate. According to the Minister and his team, who are acting as independent observers, BSI/ASR and the BSCFA have agreed in principle to sign that agreement in time for next Tuesday's tentative start of the crop season.
This morning, the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association leadership hosted a meeting at the Escuela Secundaria Technica Mexico in San Roman, Corozal, to report to its membership about the mediation talks and the proposal for a 1-year interim agreement to avoid further harvesting delays. Our colleagues from CTV3 News attended that meeting and spoke with the Agriculture Minister about that decision. He said that both sides agree that with the variables for sugar on the world market so favorable, it only makes sense to do everything possible to capitalize as best as possible.
Here are those comments:
Jose Mai, Minister of Agriculture
"I think that both parties have been principle at agreeing for a one year extension for an agreement. So, I think that is a matter to sit down with both sides to work out the details of that agreement. I think that we have progressed somewhat."
Reporter
"Okay, my understanding is that we are now looking towards the 27th, that's next week but are we really, is that a promise that it is going to happen?"
Jose Mai, Minister of Agriculture
"It's not a promise. It is a tentative date to begin the crop. We have to sign an agreement to start on the 27th, but that is the objective to start on the 27th."
Reporter
"Do you think they will lean on to the one year? because I heard the members don't want a 2 year interim agreement at all."
Jose Mai, Minister of Agriculture
"I suspect that they are going to agree. We are at the crossroads right now, everybody wants to start the crop. The price of sugar has gone up by 50%, the price of molasses has gone up by 50%, ocean freight is down by 40%, this is time to make money. Everybody wants to make money. The farmers have commitments, the mill has commitments, we need to start."
And while the government couldn't oversee a signed, long-term agreement between BSCFA and BSI/ASR, they seek to grease all squeaky wheels to ensure the highest productivity level at the season's tentative start. Here are those remarks:
Jose Mai, Minister of Agriculture
"The Prime Minister is well aware of the increase in prices globally and so he had asked me to communicate to the farmers that there will be an increase in the fuel subsidiaries here. The second announcement is that we are working with the IFI's to procure financing at low interest. Even if the government has to observe one or two percent of interest so that the farmers can have a low interest rate, we are going to do so. That's the message from the Prime Minister, and third, is that our friendly country of Morocco has committed to help the cane farmers with fertilizer this year. So, we are working towards that."
We'll keep following the latest development and tell you if the crop season does indeed start next Tuesday.
