Given Belize’s long-standing tradition as an agricultural connoisseur, the opportunities for agribusiness investments are immense! Our close proximity to the North American, Central American, South American and Caribbean markets offers easy access to top markets. Likewise, the availability of productive land resources for a wide range of agricultural commodities means that both input provisions and output processing activities continuously spell out great prospects.
Agribusiness serves as the foundation of the Belizean economy and continues to be the base force propelling the local productive sectors onward. To date, the once traditional agricultural productions (i.e., citrus, banana, sugar cane) have been undergoing gradual, yet planned transformation – broadening its pillars to encompass sectors, such as agro-processing, aquaculture, green gold crops (i.e., grains, chocolate beans, cottons), renewable energy crops (i.e., sorghum, sugar crops), and organic crops farming.
Agribusiness Overview
Competitive Advantages:
It is irrefutable that regardless of how advanced the technology may be, “food” remains the indispensable need that overrides other priorities in our daily life. As such, the Government of Belize has been relentlessly assigning high emphasis on securing access to foods, while encouraging the trading of viable national surpluses for long-term diversity. Additional opportunities include:
Agribusiness serves as the foundation of the Belizean economy and continues to be the base force propelling the local productive sectors onward. To date, the once traditional agricultural productions (i.e., citrus, banana, sugar cane) have been undergoing gradual, yet planned transformation – broadening its pillars to encompass sectors, such as agro-processing, aquaculture, green gold crops (i.e., grains, chocolate beans, cottons), renewable energy crops (i.e., sorghum, sugar crops), and organic crops farming.
Agribusiness Overview
- Traditional Agricultural Commodities (grains [rice, corn], legumes [assorted beans], assorted vegetables, fruits & assortments [sugar cane, citrus, banana, pitaya, pineapple, mango])
- Organic Agricultural Commodities (grains [rice, corn], legumes [assorted beans], assorted vegetables)
- Aquaculture (fresh-water farming [tilapia], salt-water farming [cobia, shrimps, lobsters, crabs, conch, fin fish)
- Livestock Farming (dairy use, cattle meat production)
- BioFuel Production (bio-diesel), Feedstock Production (sugar cane, sorghum, Jatropha);
- AgroProcessing (citrus juice, fine sugar, pepper sauce, corn cereal, coconut and cohune oil, chocolate, fillet, sausage, assorted sauces and powders)
- Agricultural Inputs (NPK granular fertilizer, herbicides, insecticides)
Competitive Advantages:
- Strategic location: close market proximity to North American, Central American, South American, and the Caribbean markets.
- Availability of high-yield arable land: over 1,998,230 acres (38%) of the total land area are considered agriculturally suitable.
- Well-positioned for organic and eco-labeled production: branded with an aura of quality and distinctiveness pursued by consumers in the new era.
- An abundant pool of skilled and vibrant workforce.
- Not within the high hurricane landfall probability belt.
- All-year round mild average water temperature of 80o F (27 o C).
- Long-Standing Democratic System with an Independent judiciary.
- Stable foreign exchange rate: fixed (pegged) to the US dollar since 1978
- No limitation on the repatriation of profits or dividends.
- Availability of government incentives: Fiscal Incentives Program, Export Processing Zone Program, Commercial Free Zone Program, Qualified Retired Persons Program.
- Preferential Market Access: European Union, CARICOM nations, Caribbean Basin Initiatives (USA), Favorable trading relationships with Central American nations.
It is irrefutable that regardless of how advanced the technology may be, “food” remains the indispensable need that overrides other priorities in our daily life. As such, the Government of Belize has been relentlessly assigning high emphasis on securing access to foods, while encouraging the trading of viable national surpluses for long-term diversity. Additional opportunities include:
- Production of raw produce (agri-produce, organic agri-produce, aquaculture)
- Production of non-traditional products: orchids, hydroponics, Greenhouse commodities.
- Value-addition to agri-produce, aquaculture products, and livestock
- BioFuel (power generation, ethanol, bio-diesel)
- Production of inputs (agri-inputs [e.g., organic fertilizer], packaging)
- Provision of storage and export-handling facilities for agro – products (mobile and fixed)
- Transportation and delivery of end produce to consumers (local and export)
- uropean Union, CARICOM nations, Caribbean Basin Initiatives (USA), Favorable trading relationships with Central American nations.
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