And we also asked Minister Mai for an update on the sugar saga. His Cabinet colleague, Minister Kareem Musa, is responsible for chairing the sugar subcommittee, and while Mai said negotiations are going well, the reason why they can't get to the commission of inquiry is because of the situation with Fairtrade.
As we told you, Fairtrade is an organization that provides funding for developing countries who grow certain crops, but FLOCERT has suspended BSI/ASR from signing any contracts because of what the company called technical issues.
While BSI has said they have fixed the issues and are now waiting for the suspension to be lifted, Mai explained that all of the tension between the company and the cane farmers has dramatically slowed sugar production.
Jose Mai, Minister of Agriculture
"The very important topic is the Fairtrade premiums for the BSCFA which they believe has been unfairly withheld from them and based on the criteria and the requirements for Fairtrade funding, they have complained to the international organization, FLOCERT, which is the policing body and FLOCERT I believe has suspended BSI from what I understand and I think they are doing an audit of BSI. We do not know what the exact reason is but it is as a result of the complaint. Now, they have to put the correct measures in place for the suspension to be lifted. We understand that Julia Clarke from Tate and Lyle manages the Fairtrade will be in the country on Monday and Tuesday to speak with BSCFA on that matter. So before we move forward to a Commission of Inquiry and everything else, the Fairtrade matter has to be solved. If it is that the Fairtrade premiums have been unfairly withheld then it has to be given back to them and so that is where we are right now but we are hoping that Tate and Lyle, BSI, and BSCFA will settle this matter so that we can move forward to the Commission of Inquiry."
"I've said before to all the parties involved in the negotiations is that a battle like this nobody wins. The farmers lose because they can't fertilize, productivity this year is going to be lower, we're already seeing a 20% drop in sugar production in the west, we are seeing similar trends in the north, so we're seeing the production of sugar cane going down while the price of sugar is going up on the world market so we are losing, BSI is losing, farmers are losing, so nobody wins a battle like this, it is in everybody's interest that this be solved and be solved quickly."
A Cabinet brief today says, quote, "Minister Musa reported that both sides have expressed the determination to reach a fair and transparent resolution to the impasse for the good of the industry and that serious discussions between parties are ongoing based on good faith, and not tension."
