Following signature of a new, long term purchase agreement, the sugar associations, mill and government have all signed a commitment to produce a Strategic Development Plan within one year of the signatures, to map a course to make the Belizean sugar industry sustainable and profitable for all industry stakeholders, capable of making a significant contribution to the nation’s economy.
The Belize Sugar Industries is contributing to the Strategic Development Plan process with a strategy paper entitled, “Transforming Sugar Production in Belize into a Modern, Sustainable, Green Model, Contributing to Jobs, Growth and Energy Security”. The strategy paper considers a range of inter-related challenges and potential solutions to overcome them to make the industry sustainable. Key elements include crop productivity, mill efficiency, mill and power plant expansion, investment requirements and how to achieve a suitable return on investment to realize industry expansion.
BSI/ASR stands ready to fully participate in the process of drawing up an SDP and looks forward to co-operating with all industry stakeholders in this process. This strategy paper is intended as a discussion document to stimulate consideration of what the industry needs to do to become sustainable and what type of investment climate will be required to achieve that outcome.
All of those interested in the Sugar Industry can download an electronic copy of the strategy paper by visiting the industry website at: www.sugarindustryofbelize.com. Hard copies will be made available by early next week to all industry stakeholders.