Independent Analysis Reveals Sugar Industry Savings at Port of Big Creek

The sugar industry is saving significantly from its move to the Port of Big Creek – this is one of the findings in the recently concluded analysis by independent expert, Hugh O’Brien.  O’Brien was tasked to assess the justification of the terminal handling charges and the throughput fees which are areas that both BSI/ASR and the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers’ Association were unable to agree on.   The analysis has concluded and a formal report was delivered last week.  A release on the findings was issued today by BSI/ASR indicating that they are now looking forward to moving on to the other important matters.  Love News spoke with O’Brien who refused to go into the details of the analysis, saying that BSI/ASR should not have issued a release just yet as the members of the BSCFA were yet to be informed.

O’Brien’s analysis was done as part of the 2-year commercial agreement that both the BSI and the BSCFA signed on January 24.  Minister of Agriculture, Jose Abelardo Mai, is yet to read the analysis, but did tell our newsroom that the challenge will come in getting the Commission of Inquiry started which was also a part of the agreement.

According to the BSI/ASR release sent out this evening, based on the expert opinion, the port charges will remain and the cane price estimates for the 2023/2024 crop will not change.