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It may still be in its infancy but tilapia farming has the potential to earn Belize millions of dollars in exports. And that’s not just the gospel according to Edmund Castro – this is what a Taiwan trade mission that’s visiting Belize is saying. Today an introductory briefing was held between all involved in the process including BELTRAIDE, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and the special team of aquaculture development specialists from Taiwan. According to the Taiwanese Ambassador to Belize Joseph Shih, Belize has the right climate and the right geography to make it happen.

Joseph Shih, Taiwan Ambassador
“For aquaculture, we have already identified Belize as an ideal partner in terms of climate, eco-friendly, and also the pivotal status that Belize has here in Central America and the gateway to NAFTA, big market. And for us, we are one of the major operator of aquaculture products in the world. Each year, just in terms of tilapia, we are able to produce 50,000 to 70,000 tons of feedlot for the world market. Imagine that, if we are able to work together and go to the eastern coast of the US market and CARICOM and the NAFTA market, the potential is there but you must find the playground for these two industries to work with so this is basically the purpose of their visit.”

Michael Swift. Executive Director – BELTRAIDE
“The current situation is such that tilapia is an emerging business opportunity. One industry expert, or somebody who has been in the business, suggests that Belize has potential of earning about 50 million U.S. dollars annually in foreign exchange. So clearly this is a very big potential product for Belize."

Gabino Canto, CEO – Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries
The area that we asked the Taiwanese government to help us is actually in the area of tilapia production. We will get a specialist in tilapia coming to Belize to assist us in setting up our industry. Also we have a tilapia unit in the Fisheries Department that is actively working along with the farmers who actually in the tilapia production and we need to organize them properly so the Cooperatives Department will play a key role in this particular area as well.”

According to CEO Canto there is now a tilapia unit in the fisheries department to help farmers who are already working in the industry and also to promote and increase the inland consumption of marine products. The Taiwanese team is expected to remain in the country for the remainder of the week. This week’s meetings are in conjunction with the recent visit by the Taiwanese President to Belize.