BELIZE CITY – Belize’s sugarcane industry faces renewed tensions as farmers directly contradict the Prime Minister’s assertion that his intervention has stabilized sector relations. The Belize Sugarcane Farmers Association (BSCFA) has publicly rejected governmental claims of improved dialogue, demanding concrete policy reforms rather than diplomatic overtures.
Alfredo Ortega, Vice-Chairman of the BSCFA, provided unequivocal commentary regarding the current administration’s handling of the sugar industry. “We have not seen changes as yet,” Ortega stated during a recent interview. “We have been asking for changes that will really assist all players – the farmers, the millers, and the government.”
The association’s leadership emphasized the need for structural reforms that establish equitable conditions across the industry value chain. This development follows the Prime Minister’s assumption of direct oversight responsibilities previously managed through the Ministry of Agriculture.
Notably, farmers expressed appreciation for former Agriculture Minister Jose Abelardo Mai, whose resignation created the current administrative vacuum. Ortega acknowledged Mai’s continued advocacy despite no longer holding official responsibility for sugar affairs, while also extending wishes for the former minister’s health recovery and potential return to government service.
The industry’s restructuring places daily operations under the joint supervision of the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of State Martinez, who have claimed ongoing dialogue with both agricultural and processing stakeholders. However, farmer representatives maintain that these discussions have yet to produce meaningful progress toward addressing fundamental imbalances in the sector.
The sugarcane industry remains a critical component of Belize’s agricultural economy, with its stability directly affecting numerous rural communities and national export earnings. The current impasse reflects deeper structural challenges in balancing the interests of agricultural producers, industrial processors, and governmental regulators.