2024-05-29 - Channel 5 Belize

Northern Farmers Unable to Sell Their Carrots

Carrot farmers in Orange Walk and Corozal districts will lose all that they have invested in this year’s crop if they are unable to get their produce to market soon. Dozens of acres of carrots remain in the field unharvested, which is uncommon in the north at this time of the year. The Ministry of Agriculture says the market is oversaturated due to unfavorable weather conditions late last year. The Belize Marketing and Development Corporation refutes claims that it is importing carrots currently. The farmers believe that contraband carrots from Mexico have taken their place in the market. News Five’s Paul Lopez traveled north today. He filed the following report.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

2024 has been a difficult year so far for carrot farmers, particularly those in the Orange Walk and Corozal districts. Carrots are not selling at the rate they traditionally would, leaving many farmers with acres of unharvested crops that are starting to go bad.

Sabino Yam, Patchakan Farmer

“I guess all the farmers that have carrots right now are basically in the same problem. Basically it is the selling of the carrots we are having problem right now. I have contacted some of my buyers and they are not buying.”

Sabino Yam owns a carrot farm in Patchakan Village in the Corozal District. On a normal year, Yam would have already sold all his carrots on the local market. This year, he has only been able to sell eight sacks of carrots. So, what has led to this shift in the market? The Ministry of Agriculture says there’s a glut of carrots on the local market.

Andrew Mejia, Acting Director of Extensions, Ministry of Agriculture

“The situation we are having now is as a result of what happened last year. During the months from August to October we had a drought preventing the farmers that were to plant early based on the schedule we had created with the Ministry. After that we had an issue with flooding. That compounded the situation. So everybody planted the same time, around the end of November to December.”

To ensure that every farmer gets a fair share of market demands, they take turns planting and harvesting. Carrots in the Cayo District should have already been sold out by now, leaving only carrots from farmers in northern Belize on the market. But that is not the case this year.

William Can, Agriculture Officer for Cayo District, Ministry of Agriculture

“From the data we have Cayo planted sixty-three acres and from that sixty-three acres at the moment we have around eight acres to manage in the Cayo District so we can safely say that the peak of production in the Cayo District has passed. We will have two to three weeks of production left in Cayo and from that the only two districts left is Corozal and Orange Walk.”

The Ministry of Agriculture says that produce in Cayo should be sold out within a week. That will make space in the market for carrots from Orange Walk and Corozal. But farmers are not sold on the ministry’s explanation. Jose Gonzalez, a farmer in Indian Creek Village is doubtful.

Jose Gonzalez, Indian Creek Village

“Si, puedo nostros. We have our doubts. We heard that Cayo have carrots. But in the past they use to come buy eighty, a hundred sacks of carrots from us. And now they are just taking twenty, twenty-five sacks. So we have our doubts and think that contraband has something to do with how they are not buying carrots from us right now.”

Carrot farmers are convinced that the illegal importation of vegetables from Mexico is the reason they are facing these challenges. During our visit to a farm in San Carlos, a group of farmers complained bitterly about the negative effects of contraband carrots. While cleaning their produce to take to the market, the men argued that the government is not doing enough to stop contrabandistas. Mejia says the argument about contraband carrots is, to an extent, justified.

Andrew Mejia

“I do believe so and I won’t discredit them. What the Ministry of Agriculture has done is that we are in the process of re-activating our contraband interdiction team, compromised of customs, immigration, police, BAHA to see what is actually happening with this accusation. Otherwise we don’t have any concrete information on that. So until the team is activated we will be able to get a handle on what is happening with that. But I can assure the farmers that the saturation is due to oversupply at this time.”

The Belize Marketing and Development Corporation is also responding to allegations that it has received import permits from the Ministry of Agriculture to bring in carrots from Mexico. B.M.D.C. Is responsible for importing goods that are not available on the local market. Valentin Carillo, the administrator at B.M.D.C., says the last time they imported carrots was in November 2023.

Valentin Carillo, Administrator, B.M.D.C.

“I have heard concerns about the carrots issue and I have also heard that we have License right now. I came here to clear it out. We are not importing carrots from last year November.”

Paul Lopez

“How often during the season?”

Valentin Carillo

“Like last year we had a meeting with the farmers and we put a cut off date. It depends on how the season goes. As if see it right now it will go a month, a month and a half depending on local production.”

Sabino Yam

“It is claimed that they are not giving license to import but still we are seeing Mexican products on the market. So what is happening? That is rhe reason we want to know. But some of the farmers do have evidence that those importers there are bringing stuff through the border. I am from Patchakan. Patchakan is right next to the borderline to Mexico. I can say maybe six four years back there was a lot of contraband. Now I have not seen much. As a result I can conclude that this contraband is passing through the border.”

Paul Lopez

“The legal crossing?”

Sabino Yam

“The legal crossing.”

Reporting for News 5 I am Paul Lopez.

Are Carrots from Mexico Superior to Belize’s Carrots?

During our trip north, we also sought to find out why a demand for carrots from Mexico exists locally. Whereas fifty pounds of carrots can be bought locally for thirty-five to forty dollars on average, fifty pounds of Mexican carrots can cost as much as eighty dollars. But is paying double the price for carrots worth it? Farmers say it’s currently all over the local market. B.M.D.C.’s administrator says carrots from Mexico are not superior.

Sabino Yam, Patchakan Farmer

“Well they look totally different. They are more different. They look kinda waxed. We can say. We producers can identify our products right. As we go to the market we can easily spot Mexican product.”

Paul Lopez

“What is it about, from your experience, is it about handling Mexican carrots that makes it so desirable? Is it superior?”

Valentin Carillo, Administrator, B.M.D.C.

“It is not superior. It is done in the optimum time to produce it because in November, December, January, February I believe we have some good quality. Even now I saw some good quality. So it is not like it’s superior. Similar with the onion, we have good quality onion. So there is nothing to envy from across there.”

Paul Lopez

“So what makes the Mexican carrots double the price?”

Valentin Carillo

“That’s the cost of production also.”

U.D.P. Alleges Minister Interfered in Sugar Smuggling Operation

The United Democratic Party alleges that a P.U.P. minister from Orange Walk called on law enforcement officers to stand down after smugglers were caught carrying sacks of sugar across the border to Mexico. According to a release from the party, a Belize Defense Force patrol along the Rio Hondo seized a large quantity of sugar from a group of individuals crossing an irregular border point. The release asserts that one of the individuals made a call and shortly thereafter, the soldiers were instructed to stand down because the group had an export permit for sugar from BAHA. The opposition is questioning whether such an export permit exists and why the individuals decided to use an illegal border crossing. We spoke with Valentin Carillo, the administrator of the Belize Marketing and Development Corporation. B.M.D.C. distributes sugar on the local market.

Valentin Carillo, Administrator, B.M.D.C.

“On that I cannot say. What I would say on B.M.D.C.s part is not part of that. As I explained we bought ninety- two tons of white sugar for the domestic market for distribution from October last year to April this year which is roughly about two hundred and sixty-eight bags for branch. We divide into four branch Orange Walk, Belize, San Pedro and Bjg Falls. So that averages about sixty bags per month. When you divide it by week it is only fifteen bags a week distribute in each branch. fifteen bags.”

Reporter

“Are you aware of why there is a demand for Belize sugar in certain parts of Mexico?”

Valentin Carillo

“Well that is the high acquisition price over there. Over there is two dollars and change per pound and our one is sixty eight cents, seventy-five cents. We can assist if they say you know what let us give BMDC fifty percent of the distribution then it is a government entity. We can monitor who to sell and where to sell and even maybe bag it in one pound to dissuade people from moving this across the border. All of these things.”

Police Raid Doris Grant’s House, Again

Doris Grant is making the news again tonight, this time for a search of her house on Reggae Street. Grant, who was charged over a week ago with a multitude of offences related to receiving monies by deception, also saw her two daughters shot during what police say was a fight near a nightclub on Newtown Barracks over the weekend. And last week, police conducted a raid at Grant’s farmhouse in Gardenia Village. She showed the media how the police tore open the grill door to gain access and then proceeded to ransack her house. This time Grant told News Five that the police targeted her family home on Reggae Street on Tuesday evening sometime after three p.m. She provided us with surveillance footage showing when the police arrived, meeting one of her sons-in-law, also a policeman, just as he was about to exit the yard. The police, reportedly led by Assistant Commissioner Doctor Richard Rosado, searched the upper flat of the two-story house, which was occupied by another of her other sons-in-law. Grant said she was not at home when the search happened. After about two hours, Grant said the police then proceeded to the lower flat of the house where she lives. There, they searched only her bedroom and removed a chess that was locked with her diabetes medication. They also took some documents and receipts for building materials and her vehicle. Grant said that she is positive that the police will find nothing incriminating in the chest. She expressed frustration that her son-in-law, Jarrell Young, who was shot in the leg by police in the incident near Shisha’s over the weekend, and who was the only one at home when the search was conducted, was charged. The charge against Young was for boisterous behaviour. Meanwhile, x-rays on his leg have determined that he will need a surgery to remove the bullet from his muscle where it is lodged, Grant says.

Selvin Ramos is Charged for His Brother’s Murder

Independence police have arrested and charged Selvin Ramos for the murder of his sibling Eladio Ramos, following a deadly shooting on May twenty-sixth. The brothers reportedly got into a physical altercation on Sunday during which Selvin produced a shotgun and fired a blast that killed Eladio. In the wake of the incident, investigators waited for instructions from the Director of Public Prosecutions on how to proceed with charges. On Tuesday, Selvin Ramos was arraigned on a single count of murder.

Armed Robber Turned Bush Lawyer Walks Free of Charges

Earlier today, thirty-nine-year-old Jamaal Jackson, a well-known criminal, was acquitted of the charges of attempted robbery and grievous harm. As we’ve reported, Jackson was accused of attempting to jack a pair of security guards who were making a night deposit at Scotia Bank on Albert Street back in 2016. During the incident, Jackson was pursued by police after coming under gunfire when they responded to the robbery in progress. A woman police officer was injured in the head and arm during the shooting. An investigation subsequently led to Jackson’s arrest. But tonight, he’s free of both charges as the case could not be proven in court. After two days of a voir dire, the matter ended with a nolle pros, setting Jackson free of the charges. Of note is that Jackson appeared unrepresented in court.

Chalillo Dam Still at Risk After Fires Extinguished

Last week, the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve was saved from a potentially devastating fire, as flames spread across the area rapidly. This prompted a collaborative effort between the Belize Forest Department and several stakeholders. Fortis Belize was among the first to lend a hand, as the Chalillo Dam is in the area. The team was able to extinguish the flames before the fires could damage the dam. However, Fortis Belize says that the dam is still not completely in the clear, as the machinery is at risk of being damaged by the soot and ash that will run into the water when it rains. And as the dam’s water supply is relatively low for the demand of the country, amidst the energy crisis, Fortis is in desperate need of rain. We spoke with the team from Fortis Belize to hear how it will handle this damned if you do, damned if you don’t situation. Here’s News Fives Britney Gordon with that report.

Britney Gordon, reporting

The fires in Mountain Pine Ridge started just over a week ago in an area east of the Chalillo Dam. C.E.O. of Fortis Belize, Kay Menzies, says that the company knew how important it was to assist in the relief mission.

Kay Menzies, C.E.O., Fortis Belize

“We had a combination of employees and adult family members, volunteers. And we also contracted a number of companies with heavy equipment, including Astrum helicopters and pulled together an action plan in record time for sure which enabled the team on the ground to accomplish basically to protect the BEL transmission line and protect the Chalillo plant with the consciousness, not only of the damage to the Mountain Pine Ridge itself, but what that would have done to the country of Belize if access to those facilities were lost. The team was extremely conscious of what needed to be protected and why it needed to be protected.”

Fortis Belize says that although the fires have been contained, it is still monitoring the situation closely, as there are two major assets at risk in the area. Albert Roches, Environment Manager, Fortis Belize explained that the water supply is also a concern.

Albert Roches, Manager, Fortis Belize

“We had the two major assets that we were looking at were the dam structure, the fire coming close to that area, and our powerhouse. And as well the high-tension power lines that trans transport the electric electricity through to the grid. But like Kay mentioned, it’s not over yet. We’re still in the dry. We’re still vigilant right now. We have a camera, a three-sixty, what you call a P.T.Z. camera, located on top of one of our towers. And so with that, we continually have our control room operators. Monitoring the area, scanning the area to see if there is any new smoke or fire outbreaks in the area, of concern to us now would be the rains that we that should be coming, so we’re just going to be waiting and see what the impact will be with if we get heavy rains, the washing off sediments into the reservoir. And of course, in the longer run that will also impact our water quality coming downstream to the various communities.”

Amid Belize’s energy crisis, the demand for hydroelectricity increased and this has led to the water supply rapidly diminishing. Now, as the company is in desperate need of rain to fill the reservoir, it is at risk of being polluted by soot when it rains.

Britney Gordon

“So speak to me about that situation of how we’re planning to navigate this need for rain, but also expecting that to have a negative impact.”

Albert Roches

“From the environmental side, like you mentioned, whenever you have these forest fires, you normally have what we have in the accumulation of heavy metals. Mercury, arsenic, all of lead that forms when you burn things and with the rains coming down, yes, pretty much needed and we are hoping that when it comes, the initial rains will be some a good one, but some soft ones, not some downpours, and yes, we would like to fill the dam as quickly as we can, but that is something we’ll be monitoring and watching for landslides and also for the loss of topsoil in those areas, and like I said the impacts we’ll be monitoring those. Every quarter we conduct water quality monitoring all the way from the tributaries of the Macal River, all the way down to San Ignacio. So we’ll be getting those results maybe in the next month.”

Operations Manager Tedford Pate says that the current conditions are not very favorable for the generation of power at this point. Fortis hopes that the rains that are forecasted in June will be adequate to replenish the reservoir. He explains that If erosion sedimentation were to build up in the reservoir, the filters would clog.

Tedford Pate, Operations Manager, Fortis Belize

“Looking at the effects that these forest fires could have with operation it’s actually it’s actually something that we’re already preparing for, we have our filters, we have our teams prepared with work plans in addressing these prior to the rain so that we could have the systems ready and up and running for any additional inflow so that we could generate more power. So while that is a concern from an operational standpoint, we really are hoping for the rains where we’re anticipating enough rain so that we could continue with our supporting of the grid, especially during these times when we’re having power issues in the country. It’s a balancing act. And there is no doubt about it. We didn’t expect these fires to happen, but we have to be able to look at ways to mitigate the issues that come either from an environmental aspect or from our operational aspect and continue providing reliable power to the country.”

Menzies reaffirmed the company’s commitment to providing quality energy to the country and attributed the success of the fire relief mission to the teamwork of the community.

Kay Menzies

“I think right now, everybody’s watching the reservoir with interest and concern. The team is trying to make sure that we keep going as long as we can and from the for the environmental aspect of it, the surroundings of the reservoir are very important to us. So we’re doing some work to figure out how we go forward with this. This is probably the most devastating wildfire we’ve seen in that area since Chalillo was built. So it’s a learning experience for everybody concerned. And one of the things I want to say is that the duration of the worst of the fire was as short as it was because folks on the ground were incredibly organized. The teamwork that we saw come out of this with groups that had not previously worked together.”

Britney Gordon for News Five.

34,000 Acres of Pine Ridge Lost to Wildfires Out West

Fire relief missions across the country are ongoing. While the teams at Mountain Pine Ridge have been able to successfully extinguish the flames that spread across the reserve last week, at least thirty-four thousand acres have been severely damaged. And in southern Belize, the fires are raging on throughout Toledo District, contributing to millions of dollars lost in agriculture. Amidst this crisis, the government has assured the public that additional assistance will be provided to the affected farmers and that the relief mission has not yet ended. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with that report.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Last week, a brushfire wreaked havoc across the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, leading to a multi-agency relief effort. After days of diligent work fighting the flames, the team was able to extinguish and contain the fire, however, nearly forty percent of the forest was affected. Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development, says that majority of the trees in the affected area, will make a recovery.

Orlando Habet, Minister of Minister of Sustainable Development

“The trees were already starting to seed. They will fall on ground that has a lot of ash now. And so when the rains come, it is expected that there will be a lot of regeneration. Additionally, the Forest Department is preparing through their restoration program. o put down seeds, to produce seedlings for restoration activities, so as to plant. Pine trees in those areas that do not take naturally from the regeneration. And also the concessionaire for the long term forest concessions also are involved in producing seeds through their nurses, and they will also be assisting in replanting.”

While reports are optimistic for Mountain Pine Ridge, down in southern Belize, the number of people and farmland affected by the fires continues to grow. The Minister of Disaster Risk Management spoke on the severity of the matter.

Andre Perez, Minister of Disaster Risk Management

“As we speak right now, the jungle continues to burn down south in Toledo last night. There were some threats for Silver Creek. Up in the mountain Pine Ridge, the fire continues to rage. As much as thirty-four thousand acres of Pine Ridge has burnt. Down south in Toledo District hundreds of, millions of dollars in, agriculture products – plantations have been lost. Cacao, beans; we’re talking about corn, even mahogany trees. There’s a farm there with growing mahogany trees, it’s all gone. So this fire is very serious economically. It is affecting us and will affect us. The livelihoods of these people are being affected. Even the village of San Antonio is under threat right now with their water lines, and also the ecological disaster. So all of this has to be quantified looking at – and in terms of funding, It is important.”

Relief efforts are ongoing in the area and the government is planning on providing additional assistance to the affected farmers.

Andre Perez

“I’ve been in there about two times down south, and in Mountain Pine Ridge as well, I was there this weekend. And everything is moving swiftly in terms of humanitarian needs, also in fighting of the fires. Again, we’ve gotten Astrum [Helicopters]. It’s a cost – comes with a cost, but it was necessary. It has been very effective and that has helped a lot. In terms of relief also with the Department of Agriculture as well to assist the farmers. The Forestry [department] is already involved in here as well, and NEMO in Punta Gorda Town, Machaka area, has of course activated to assist in any way possible -the livelihoods in terms of food, other materials that are needed for homes.”

Reporter

“So they’re already getting assistance?”

Andre Perez

“Absolutely.”

Out west in San Antonio, Cayo, Habet explains that the relief efforts have also been extensive in fighting the fires that disrupted the village’s water supply. He says that most of the fires have now been contained.

Orlando Habet

“In the San Antonio area. the information is that the fires are contained there was assistance, they had to utilize the helicopters from Astrum to put water a few days ago. The firefighters from the forest department the co manager of the Elijio Panti, and also the villagers from San Antonio and led by the town council, the village council. And also the private sector, the resort Gaia, Blancano and others who are also and have been participating. We are thankful for all those who have participated, who have contributed, and we understand that today the private sector was even lending some assistance in terms of masks and providing other drinks, power aid and stuff like that gatorade for the fighters who get dehydrated. A lot of the fire in that area has now been contained, most of it.”

Additionally, on Monday, the team at Altun Ha Archaeological Site discovered a brushfire near the temples. The past two days have been spent containing the flames that increased on Tuesday evening. We asked Habet for an update on the situation.

Orlando Habet

“Not this morning, but yesterday we were informed and I had communicated with The people from B.T.B., we both informed the fire department at Ladyville. They moved in quickly and assisted the community and other people who are assisting to quench the fire. I haven’t had a report this morning as to what happened there, but my information that I received at about two in the morning. Most of the fire had been out.”

Perez said that the government is also receiving assistance through the U.S. Embassy and the Belize Red Cross, from abroad to assist the people who have suffered losses because of the wildfires. Britney Gordon for News Five.

Vulnerable Nations Still Waiting on Climate Justice

For the past few days, Minister Orlando Habet and a Belizean delegation have been participating in the Small Island Developing States Conference in Antigua and Barbuda. This meeting is an opportunity for small island developing states, SIDS, to renew their commitment to sustainable development, focusing on climate change, debt and health crises, underscored by the theme, “charting the course towards resilient prosperity”. A major concern for several of the nations participating in this event is the climate justice funding that is owed to vulnerable nations in exchange for the reduction of carbon emissions. In 2022, the loss and damage funding agreement was established at COP27 which provides funding for vulnerable countries severely affected by climate change. However, several countries have faced difficulty in accessing the funding promised by large carbon emitters.

Orlando Habet, Minster of Climate Change

“We have been in several meetings over the years at COPS. And every five years, we are supposed to submit our N.D.C.s, which are basically our mitigation commitments for Belize, we are doing our part in trying to mitigate the little that we already emit, but as SIDS in general produce only about zero point zero one percent of total emissions. The G20 produce over eighty percent of total emissions. So certainly the arena is skewed as to who are the big emitters and so in regards to getting climate justice, that is one area that we want because we are the ones being affected, but also for us to be able to put down certain adaptation measures so that we can build resilience. Then it is imperative that we get the financing that we get the funding to do these adaptation projects that will build resilience for our small states and our communities. It has not been forthcoming. The promises are not being fulfilled and the little monies that are available are difficult to access. And many times, they come hinged with a lot of conditions and many times things that we can’t really afford or really want to do because they really don’t make sense. That is where we’re certainly seeking climate justice in terms of trying to get the funding to be able to do the implementation for N.D.C.s that we commit to. But without the funding, we can’t do it. We have, as our last N.D.C. shows a lot of ambition, but we have a gap of about one point seven billion for us to be able to implement our N.D.C.s from here to 2030.”

Erwin Contreras Ditches Senate Inquiry; Hearings Halted

Former Minister of Economic Development Erwin Contreras was a no-show at today’s scheduled senate inquiry. A notice issued by the National Assembly this afternoon says that the former Cayo West Area Representative refused to appear before the Senate Special Select Committee. In the days leading up to the general elections in November 2020, Contreras signed the dubious Definitive Agreement with Portico Enterprises Limited. This was for the development of the Port of Magical Belize, a project that is spearheaded by David Gegg. Contreras’ absence halted the hearing that was scheduled for today. A public notice this afternoon reads, “the committee is most disappointed at this information as Mister Contreras has already admitted that he signed the Definitive Agreement which committed the Government and the people of Belize to grant Portico financial concessions worth hundreds of millions of dollars for thirty years. Contreras is the only person and former government minister who can explain why he signed the agreement.”