7 News Belize

A Cure For The Rice Crisis?
posted (December 5, 2011)
Last week when we spoke to rice producers from Blue Creek - they were up in arms blaming the Belize Marketing Development Corporation for meddling with the market and for somehow sanctioning either the importation or the distribution of Uruguayan rice. Well, as we told you, their calls had not fallen on deaf ear: The Deputy Prime Minister went to the area on Thursday night and we hard news of emergency meetings on Friday.

Today there was a release form the Ministry of Agriculture. It says that on Friday, in Belmopan the Minister of Agriculture along with his Technical Staff met with the rice farmers of Blue Creek to discuss a way forward for the Rice Industry.

The release says, quote: "A commitment was made from the Minister and the farmers to work together and find solutions that will enable the Industry to remain sustainable and keep our self-sufficiency in rice production." A follow-up meeting is scheduled for the 16th of December 2011 which - according to the release - will focus on identifying specific problems which require Government's intervention.

And, according to the release, the matter of Uruguayan rice was, quote, "clarified," meaning that the position was reiterated: that The BMDC did not import any rice from Uruguay. Whether that satisfied anyone that the BMDC is not somehow involved in its distribution of the rice is another matter completely.

The Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries is grateful with the Blue Creek rice farmers for the frank and genuine discussions and their willingness in working together with the Government in resolving the issues facing the rice industry and chart a way forward.

Home | Archives | Downloads/Podcasts | Advertise | Contact Us

7 News Belize