Belize to Begin Exporting Coconuts and By-Products to Mexico

Belize is currently experiencing a shortage of green coconuts.  It is a commodity that has seen an increase in demand in recent years.  According to Agriculture Minister, several areas are feeling the pinch including cottage processors and street side vendors.  The country currently has some 18 thousand acres of coconuts and another 3 thousand that should yield results by the end of the year.  The minister says there are several factors attributed to the shortage.

Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture: “The demand for coconuts is growing. The Guatemalans are buying all our coconuts. We’ve sold close to 800,000 coconuts to Guatemala. The Guatemalans are buying coconuts. So that has created a shortage for the processors. The green coconuts, Silkgrass is buying much of the products in the southern part of Belize for bottling and exporting to the CARICOM. The local market, the fresh drinking water has taken off very well and so the demand is high. But we also have established the market to Mexico for green coconuts which we haven’t tried it. At this time, we are  retrofitting the BMDCs packing plant in Orange Walk. We are about to get that ready, maybe in the next week it will be ready to start to receive coconuts, treat them and put them in boxes to export to Mexico.  So that is maybe the next week or so we’ll be ready.  And so the main harvest for coconut will come in the next six months I believe we can start to harvest.”

While Belize is seeing a local demand for coconuts, the government has made arrangements with Mexico to begin the exportation of coconuts and by-products in the near future.  According to Minister Mai, currently Belize has exported an estimated eight hundred thousand coconuts to Guatemala.

Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture: “We want to a trial, an export trial to Mexico to see that everything goes well because while SenaSica has given us the go ahead, there still are sometimes you experience bugs in the system but you’re not allowed, you know have some hiccups on the border. So we want to do a small trial shipment to ensure that everything goes smooth and then we can take off with that.”

Love News understands that Belize is awaiting approval from the United States’ Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to significantly expand its coconut exports to the U.S. The projected annual coconut exports could reach up to 20 million coconuts./