But the $50 million in damages that NEMO Minister Smith speaks about might be even more – if he takes into account the estimate made by the Corozal Cane Farmers Association of the damages done to their fields. Executives of the association say that 35,000 acres of cane have been damaged, 95% of the fields in Corozal. Chairman Lisandro Murray told us more.
Lisandro Murray, Chairman
“We have toured all the cane fields throughout the Corozal division and we saw all our cane fields in a terrible condition, destroyed. Nothing is good right now for the cane farmers in the division of Corozal.”
Luis Galas, Secretary
“We have to wait about three months for the next crop to start and if you would see the cane fields right now, the canes are broken, the canes are under water and they are totally destroyed. So given the three month period for the crop to start, these canes will be no good for harvest at the start of crop so it is a complete damage. As the cane fields are right now, I think that we will not be in any position, of let’s us say harvest in December. Based on the ground survey, we could measure at about 95% of all production of the Corozal division was totally destroyed and approximately about 35,000 acres of cane was damaged. The last crop we delivered, the Corozal division delivered 617,000 tons of cane. This coming crop, we won’t be able to deliver that none at all.”
Jules Vasquez,
How much will you be able to deliver, maybe one third?
Luis Galas,
“Maybe, I am not sure. Like I told you 95% of our production is down.”
Jules Vasquez,
So we can expect major social problems as well?
Luis Galas,
“Major social problems here in the Corozal District, yes. It is very very serious. I want to send a message to the government of Belize to please take this issue seriously and we need urgent financial assistance.”
Government estimates put the damage to Corozal cane fields at a far lesser figure but Murray explains that their estimate is based on an estimate of 6,000 acres of cane, when the accurate figure is 35,000 acres.
