THE BIG BUSINESS OF SUGAR CANE – (Part 1)

Since they began milling ‘Sugar-Cane’ in February 2016 the SANTANDER sugar factory in the Cayo district has become a sprawling operation that is just 12 miles from the nations capital, Belmopan.

During today’s ‘Budget Debate’ at the House of Representatives the Minister of Agriculture Hon. Jose Mai indicated that in recent years some cane farmers had to let many tons of cane go rotted because the mill could not accept anymore cane and or they had reached the maximum capacity; for that reason the government recently made an arrangement with SANTANDER Group to mill 50,000 tons of cane.

According to the company the current capacity of the SANTANDER mill is 1.1 million metric tons , – but most of that milling capacity is dedicated to their farming operations.

A Santander employee stands near several large Industrial grade sugar cane harvesting machines. ( Cayo Belize )

(The arm extending at the front of the machines cuts off the top of the cane plant just before another cutter cuts the bottom and rotors guide the main stalk of the plant into a holding hopper )
Image courtesy: Research Gate dot net

The Business of Sugar & CARICOM

Channel1Belize.com (February 4th. 2021 ) The Business of SUGAR
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Immigration, Hon. Eamon Courtenay lead a Belize delegation to the 89th. Special Ministerial Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) which is a part of CARICOM. The meeting focused on how CARICOM will establish a monitoring mechanism for all sugar importers
Continue Reading – GOB Statement

This is part 1 of a 3 part series of articles about the BIG BUSINESS OF SUGAR.
Upcoming topics in part 2 & 3
A. ASR / BSI and The Cane Farming Industry of Belize
B. How Cane Becomes Sugar
C. Regional Competition / Global Commodity
D. The Future Of Sugar Usage

E. Business Opportunities In The Sugar Industry
F. Power Generation (Bagasse & Ethanol )

Written & Compiled by: channel1Belize.com / digitalBelize,LIVE Staff writer – Saturday, April 24th. 2021 – digitalbelize@gmail.com