We've been reporting on the rift in the sugar industry. Some cane farmers are concerned that ASR/BSI has given them a false bill of sale - by claiming 11 million dollars in ocean freight costs, when a payment note uses the term FAS which means "Free Alongside Ship".
Some farmers take that to mean there should be no Ocean Freight charges. BSI told CTV-3 it's all a big mix-up - and one they find regrettable:
BSI Rep.
"We are extremely appalled really by some of the assertions being made that we are "stealing" from the farmers. It is sad to know that terminologies we are using in documentation for farmers is being used to cause confusion into thinking that BSI is "stealing" from the farmers. That is the farthest thing away from the truth."
"We have contracts and documentations to prove and activities are audited and we provide these audited statements to our farmers and I think it is somewhat mischievous and FAS (free alongside ship) value is being used to show farmers or to show associations the value of that sugar at the Port of Belize. So once it reaches the Port of Belize, this is the FAS value. To get it from there to the customer, there are costs incurred. But the 11.4 million dollars is the ocean freight cost."
BSI says it is open to meet to clarify the matter.
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