And that's not the only problem in the sugar industry. Belizeans across the country have been reporting on a sugar shortage. December is the time of year that, arguably, the most baking happens - white cake, black cake, Christmas cookies - but shoppers have been searching for sugar to no avail.
But, sugar is also in high demand in Mexico and Guatemala - so it's being smuggled out of Belize - where the controlled price ensures that it is cheaper. The PM says they've enlisted the BDF's help to remedy the situation.
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"That's a problem, it's like what I said about supply and demand. BSI, or the farmers, or the sugar industry is subsidizing the price of sugar in Belize and the price of sugar is three times more expensive in Chetumal and Guatemala, at least three times, sometimes some instances even more. so you have unscrupulous business people that they buy the sugar from BSI and they're supposed to retail it to the different stores, but what they do, they turn around and smuggle it into Guatemala and Mexico. What we decided in Cabinet is to ask the BDF to help us to monitor the border 24/7 along with BAHA and anybody seen to be exporting sugar, we're going to confiscate that and then obviously we're going to levy fines on them."
