Big Falls Rice - the proud product of Toledo was once a staple in every Belizean home - but mennonite production, and mechanized techniques overtook it. But, under the aegis of the The Belize Marketing and Development Corporation, it is undergoing a revival - and it's probably coming to store shelves near you.
Today all that was celebrated at the Big Falls Rice Mill in the Toledo District - where the resurgence was hailed as a modern miracle:
Hon. Jose Mai, Minister of Agriculture
"Today signifies the rebirth of the economic representation and inclusion of the people of Toledo in Belize. Today, we start a new pathway in the rice industry and share our enthusiasm as this rice brand denotes a shared vision. A vision that emphasizes economic development within the rural communities of Toledo."
Oscar Requena, Area Rep. - Toledo West
"Today is indeed, a very historic day and I am elated, I am very happy to see that today we can launched once again the product of Big Falls, Big Falls Rice. This is very important."
Hon. Jose Mai, Minister of Agriculture
"This very mill seize milling activities and did not mill a single grain of rice until late 2021 and as a result, various facets of the economy of Toledo experienced a significant downturn. The abandonment of the rice program thus resulted in farmers giving up on a livelihood that was a part of their culture and a way of life. For milpa farmers, rice farming is not just producing rice, it is a part of their identity."
Oscar Requena, Area Rep. - Toledo West
"Because we believe that after the rice industry was killed by the last administration, by the UDP, it had to take us a PUP government to restore back confidence in our farmers and to restore back confidence in the Ministry of Agriculture and the Government of Belize that we must revive back the rice industry for the farmers of the Toledo District."
Mike Espat, Area Rep. - Toledo East
"Minister, you got a challenge on your hand with our prime minister, but then you have 2 representatives from Toledo that I had in my manifesto to revive the rice industry in the Toledo District, because it is the only commodity that you could sell 10 pounds, you could sell 10,000 pounds - once you land it here. Nothing else in Toledo you could sell right away as you get it. This is a local industry, it is an industry to help people that are not employed. They are subsistent farmers and they will continue being subsistent farmers until something appears."
2023 yields are projected to be close to a million pounds of rice.
