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Some may agree that a cold glass of freshly squeezed orange juice is a staple of every Belizean breakfast. But at what cost? The price for local oranges, grown and hand picked in the Western and Southern parts of the country is more expensive than ever before. Today $1 can get you between 2-3 oranges, whereas just a year ago you could have gotten 5 or 7 for that dollar.

The Statistical Institute of Belize had recently reported in their first quarter release for 2023 that out from the citrus industry plunged 65% due to high input costs, citrus greening, and labor shortages.

The market vendors we spoke with today shared that the industry is indeed in dire straits. This has sparked some competition between the factories and the market vendors who have a hard time buying produce from the citrus growers. This is because the farmers would rather sell to the juicing factories who would pay a higher price for their produce, according to one market vendor who shared his experience in wholesale.

Voice of: Israel Miza, Vendor
"The oranges used to be for $12, for a hundred. Then it went to fifteen now its for $20, for a hundred."

Reporter
"And why is it that the prices have increased rapidly?"

Voice of: Israel Miza, Vendor
"Well the reasons are because it has been a really dry season. The plants are not growing as they usually would. And the fact that the juice factories in the south are buying the oranges at a better price than what we are paying for, well what the market is paying for. So the competition with the factory and us is very different , there's a high level of price so they would rather give it to the factory instead of giving it to us."

Reporter
"And how does this affect you as a supplier?"

Voice of: Israel Miza, Vendor
"It affects us in a big way because we are not getting what we really use to get on our daily trip and we are not able to supply our market, so we really need a lot more oranges."

The drop in Citrus production has inevitably pushed Miza to downsize his operations, including his truck. He says that he can only accommodate two runs a week from PG to Belize City delivering roughly 30-40k oranges for wholesale. His produce even makes its way to San Pedro, with shipment costs incurred by both the seller and buyer. All that is with a premium paid for juice-ready sweet oranges. However, there are some vendors who rather pay an affordable price for green oranges. Too sour for juice, but still purchased by locals.

Maria Cowo, Vendor
"Well the price of orange has remained the same for me because this one is green right. If they bring the yellow ones then it's $25 for the 100 we are paying, so we need to sell 3 for a dollar. And this one is 18 so we have to sell 4 for a dollar."

"In my opinion , the rippest oranges are the best but these ones that are green are sour. It's cheaper but it's sour. So it doesn't matter whether you pay the price because at least you are getting something."

The retail pricing all depends on the wholesaler. One vendor told us that once the price for a sack of 100 oranges goes up then people should expect that the individual prices will increase as well.

Reporter
"And how much do you guys sell it for?"

Calia Valladarez, Vendor
"Three for a dollar Ma'am. People are complaining that it's kinda sour, and I haven't tasted it as yet to tell you if it is sweet or sour."

Reporter
"Do you think that the prices will continue like this? or eventually it will go back to normal?"

Calia Valladarez, Vendor
"I guess it will be more expensive because it is scarce. It's scare because sometimes it's two for a dollar. Right now it's Three for dollar because we pay eighteen dollars for a hundred, so we have to sell three oranges for dollar, but when we buy it for twenty-two dollars we have to sell it for two for a dollar so we can make something."

For although the future of the citrus industry remains uncertain, the vendors are conscious of the fact that continuing scarce supply will continue to push prices up. And it's not impossible that someday we may eventually be paying a dollar for one orange, or or even end up importing orange juice - all at a higher cost, the consequence of a dying industry that some believed was too far gone to have been saved.

And while oranges are leaning more onto the pricey side, in our trip to the market we found that cilantro, which is used in almost every Belizean dish, is being sold at super high prices as well. How high? Well, at the market we saw it today for $25 dollars a pound! Again, caused by scarcity. We will continue to follow this within the week.