Minister Jose Abelardo Mai visits Petén Departmental Fair at invitation of Petén’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food

Photo Credit: MAFSE

By Rubén Morales Iglesias: Minister Jose Abelardo Mai visited Petén’s Departmental Fair as a special guest at the invitation of Petén’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food (Ministerio de Agricultura, Ganadería y Alimentación – MAGA), according to a statement posted on social media by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise (MAFSE).

The Agriculture Ministry said on Sunday that Minister Mai attended the livestock display at the ‘Feria Departamental del Petén or EXPOPET’.

“EXPOPET is held every year in January and includes livestock and agricultural exhibitions and competitions, as well as sports and cultural displays and activities,” MAFSE said.

“Belize and the Peten MAGA have started building closer bilateral relationships in agriculture over the past year, with exchange visits by top officials and agreements to exchange technical information.”

In October, Mai and a MAFSE delegation conducted a two-day visit to Petén at the invitation of Petén Vice Minister of Agriculture Elmer Oliva Pacheco to look at areas of technical collaboration. Oliva Pacheco had visited Belize the previous month with the same purpose.

At the time, Mai said the MAFSE visit to Petén had been “very interesting and very productive”. He was particularly impressed with Petén’s fruit trees program and women’s agriculture. The MAFSE delegation visited the Petén Fruit Tree Nursery, livestock production facilities, and a tilapia hatchery.

Minister Mai said they had also looked at other areas of cooperation including agro-processing and sustainable livestock development. He said that during their visit to Belize, the Guatemalans had been particularly interested in Belize’s agro-processing unit and sheep genetic improvement.

Coincidentally, Belizean musical band Gilharry Seven performed at the closing of EXPOPET.