Mexican Cane Farmers Renew Claims of Illicit Belizean Sugar Flooding Market

Cane farmers in southern Mexico are once again sounding the alarm over what they say is a growing influx of illegally imported Belizean sugar into the Quintana Roo market. According to reports from the Local Sugarcane Producers Union, Belizean sugar is being openly sold in several Chetumal stores at prices far below those of Mexican producers, placing additional strain on an already pressured industry. Union President Sergio Crisanto told Mexican media that the product is entering the state without regulation and is being sold freely, undercutting local sugar due to its lower cost. Producers say this issue is not new, data from 2023 show Belizean sugar selling at 18 pesos per kilogram, while a 25-kilogram sack reportedly cost around 520 pesos, well below the prices set by Grupo San Miguel Beta.  The union maintains that the situation has not improved and appears to have intensified in 2025. According to the 2023 sector assessment, Belize had attempted to export its sugar to Taiwan but allegedly faced quality-standard challenges. Producers claim that a portion of Belize’s excess sugar ended up being smuggled across the Rio Hondo into Mexico, a pattern they insist is continuing today.  Both the Local Producers Union and the National Confederation of Rural Producers are calling for stronger enforcement along the Rio Hondo river, which they describe as the principal smuggling corridor. Crisanto stated that the unions are prepared to file formal complaints, warning that continued illegal imports could deepen the financial crisis for families dependent on the annual sugarcane harvest.  Belizean authorities have not yet issued a statement responding to the allegations.