Amid ongoing uncertainty and persistent challenges across Belize’s sugar industry, Prime Minister John Briceño has issued a renewed call for small-scale sugar producers to explore economic diversification, with cattle farming identified as a high-potential alternative for growth.
Briceño’s remarks build on guidance recently shared by former Agriculture Minister Jose Abelardo Mai, who previously advised low-income sugar farmers to reduce their overreliance on sugar cane cultivation by expanding into adjacent agricultural sectors. Speaking to journalists on Thursday, Briceño emphasized that for decades, national leaders have repeated the warning to agricultural stakeholders against concentrating all their livelihoods in a single commodity – a core principle that remains just as critical for sugar producers today.
According to the Prime Minister, cattle farming stands out as one of the most promising untapped opportunities for sugar farmers in 2026, driven by fast-growing cross-border export demand in neighboring Mexico and Guatemala. Briceño recommended that farmers holding underutilized or low-yield sugar cane land should evaluate converting a portion of that property into grazing pasture for cattle production, noting that domestic producers are well-positioned to satisfy rising regional demand for beef. “We can meet the demand,” Briceño confirmed to reporters.
Beyond agricultural policy, the Prime Minister also addressed public questions surrounding the health of former Agriculture Minister Jose Abelardo Mai, who recently underwent knee surgery. Briceño clarified that medical teams made the decision to prioritize knee surgery before addressing an ongoing chronic back condition, explaining that the minister’s impaired gait – caused by severe knee pain – meant that any intervention on his back would not deliver meaningful improvement until the knee issue was resolved. “The doctor said the first thing they need to do is the knee because he was walking sideways. So if you do anything with your back and you’re still walking sideways, you’re not doing anything,” Briceño said.
When pressed about a potential return for Mai to the national cabinet, Briceño declined to set a timeline, saying that any decision on the former minister’s political future will be made at a later date once his recovery progresses further.