Mennonites meet with Ministry of Agriculture’s Policy Unit to discuss grains, legumes production, harvesting, and forecast data

Photo Credit: MAFSE

By Rubén Morales Iglesias: Six representatives from the Mennonite communities met on Wednesday with technical personnel of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise’s Policy Unit at Spanish Lookout’s Heritage Building to discuss grains and legumes production, harvesting, and forecast data.

“These meetings are normally held every three months to keep agriculture data updated in a timely manner for food security,” said MAFSE.

The Mennonite communities represented at the meeting are Blue Creek, Shipyard, Nueland, Little Belize, Indian Creek, and Spanish Lookout. Their representatives and the Policy Unit reviewed the production numbers of corn, beans, soybean, and sorghum.

At present, the corn stock stands at 102,500,000 lbs. 45,074 acres are being harvested during October and November; 32,800 acres in Spanish Lookout alone. The forecast production is 192,757,500 lbs. Of this total, Spanish Lookout is expected to harvest 150 million lbs., Blue Creek 14.79 million lbs., and Little Belize 12,71 million

At the moment, the Mennonite communities have 5,700,000 pounds of beans in stock. This comprises 5,150,000 lbs. of red kidney beans, 250,000 lbs. of black beans, and 300,000 lbs. of pinto beans.

The planting projections call for 8,750 acres; 7,200 acres of red kidney beans, 1,200 acres of black beans, 200 acres of pinto beans, and 150 acres of small red beans. Three-thousand acres of RK beans each are being planted in Spanish Lookout and Little Belize.

In the case of soybeans, the six communities have 27,245 acres planted and expect to produce 51,374,000 lbs., the majority of which will be produced in Little Belize (22.5 million lbs.) and Indian Creek (16 million lbs.).

As to sorghum, the communities have 10,100,000 lbs. in stock; 6.7 million lbs. in Spanish Lookout. The planting forecast for November and December 2022 is 26,000 acres which should yield 78,000 lbs. at 3,000 lbs. per acre.

The next grain and legumes production meeting has been set for January 18, 2022, at the Cooperative Building in Indian Creek, Orange Walk.