New sugar crop starts on December 28 with “open agreement” between BSI/ASR, farmers of BSCFA

Published by BBNTEAM at December 22, 2023

Posted: Friday, December 22, 2023. 5:09 pm CST.

By Aaron Humes: The Christmas holidays will be very short in the North because according to Belize Sugar Industries Limited/American Sugar Refining (BSI/ASR), the 2023-2024 crop commences on December 28, 2023, as was agreed by a majority of stakeholders in the sugar industry and announced by the Sugar Industry Control Board (SICB).

In a statement issued today, BSI/ASR said that its mill at Tower Hill, Orange Walk, “is open to receive cane from all farmers, including members of the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association (BSCFA).”

With no interim or full commercial agreement signed with the BSCFA, its members will still be able to deliver their sugar cane under an “open agreement” that does not require any signature, just the delivery of cane. As BSI/ASR explains, “This open agreement will be posted at the entrances and delivery points of the Tower Hill Sugar Mill and provides for the purchase of their sugarcane on terms identical to those set out in the Sugar Cane Purchase Agreement between BSI and BSCFA that governed the 2022/2023 crop.”

The agreement applies for the duration of the new season, or until a commercial agreement is signed between the sides. If this occurs during the crop season, that newly signed agreement will immediately supersede the terms of the open agreement and govern delivery of sugar cane to BSI/ASR for the period stated therein. BSI/ASR states, “This arrangement is intended to be a short-term solution to facilitate the smooth start of the 2023-24 crop and ensure that BSCFA members have an opportunity to deliver their cane. BSI expects that the rights of the mill and farmers who wish to commence the crop will be respected, and the authorities will ensure that there is no disruption to the smooth flow of cane delivery.”

Around a million tonnes of cane will be ground in the next six months or so if conditions are favorable and there are no interruptions.

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