Several cane farmers explore diversification into livestock production

While Government is moving to reduce public spending through austerity measures, some sugar cane farmers in northern Belize may also be preparing to make difficult financial adjustments of their own. Concerns over the long-term viability of the sugar industry are now prompting discussions among farmers about diversifying into other agricultural sectors, including livestock production.  Former Minister of Agriculture Jose Abelardo Mai says he understands the concerns being expressed by cane farmers, particularly smaller producers who are facing increasing uncertainty tied to production costs, international market pressures, and the future profitability of sugar. Mai noted that for many small farmers, diversification may eventually become a necessity rather than an option.  He says this notion was confirmed over the weekend during a gathering of some farmers.

Jose Abelardo Mai, Former Minister of Agriculture: “I find it very difficult that sugar cane can survive given the circumstances it is in. The disease situation, the high cost, the war in Iran and Israel has just created a worse situation for the farmers in this country. And I say this with all respect and respect for the cane farmers and the industry, like I said before whatever you do in agriculture has to be market led and profit driven. And if it’s not profit driven, people are going to walk away. And so as we speak right now, I know people are starting to plow their cane fields and starting to expand their pasture. It means that they cannot survive. I think that responsibly and maybe it doesn’t even have to be recommended the farmer will tell you himself, listen “I can’t move forward with cane no more. I’m selling out my equipment. I want to do cattle farming.” And maybe it’s time for the small farmers to get out of it because it has become an economy of scale. You cannot survive of a 100 tons of sugarcane, not even 500 tons of sugarcane. When I was a cane farmer my biggest delivery was up 1500 tons, close to 1500 tons. And that’s my family and I and we couldn’t survive with it. And so I shouldn’t encourage somebody to do something that is not going to make money off. It would be, I think, disingenuous on my part to do that. Right? What we need, what we can do is tell them you know if you can maintain a part of your cane field hopefully the price will go up next year. Hopefully we won’t have fusarium next year. Hopefully it will rain more even if it is within next year. I mean, but you can’t live on hope either. Right? But at the same time, you can fence off a part of the cane that’s producing the least and start putting grass in it so it can use as pasture.”

Mai says the sugar industry remains critical to the economy of northern Belize, but he believes the sector will have to evolve in order to remain sustainable. He explained that while larger producers may have more flexibility to withstand challenges, many small cane farmers could face increasing pressure in the years ahead if they do not begin exploring alternative income streams.  

Jose Abelardo Mai, Former Minister of Agriculture:  “It was difficult for me to leave sugarcane, believe me, when you grew up in sugarcane it’s in your veins, it is difficult to leave sugarcane. So when my nephew was plowing in my canfield , I had to leave the sugarcane because I would have stopped him in the middle and said, “Bwai don’t plow any more. It’s difficult to see you plowing in your canfield. You grew up in it right ? It’s not an easy thing to do believe me.”  And so the cane farmer prides himself in being a cane farmer. So when he plows in his field and does something else he’s not doing it smiling. He’s doing it with a heavy heart because that was what he was born and raised. But things change and we have to adapt to the changes. I think that at the end of the day sugarcane will not fade away. I think that the players will change. The players will change. The big ones will get bigger and the small will be out. But we have to find an alternative for those small farmers, we can’t leave them out there.”

The comments come at a time when the agriculture sector continues to face rising operational expenses and growing concerns over global commodity markets, fuel costs, and climate-related challenges impacting production./