Minister Mai Advocates for Trade and Agricultural Health at Regional Meeting in Mexico

Minister of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise Jose Abelardo Mai is in Mexico this week for a regional meeting of Agriculture Ministers. Mai is leading a delegation in Chiapas for a meeting of the International Regional Committee for Agricultural Health CIRSA. Mai and Ambassador of Investment Jaime Briceño will also meet with Mexico’s Agriculture Secretary. Principal Agriculture Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture, Belarmino Esquivel, said that a major topic of discussion at the regional high-level meeting was the threat of the new world screwworm. He said Minister Mai is also seeking to foster greater trade in the agriculture sector with Mexico. 

Belarmino Esquivel, Principal Agriculture Officer, MAFSE: “What Minister Mai is doing at this high level meeting, at a ministerial level, is to discuss with the Minister of Mexico to see how best we can continue to move the agriculture products from Belize to Mexico. As we know that the trade deficit is significantly different because we import $300 million dollars worth and we barely export $8 to $10 million. So what we are saying is that the cattle exports has taken traction over the years and we want to continue despite the challenges that we face. Screw worm is in Guatemala. We don’t have it as yet. Should we have it what are we going to do? Are we going to adjust the protocols ? Are we going to have more rigorous and rigid inspection just so not to stall the trade, cattle trade, that we have with Mexico. So all in all we are working on that. And he is also looking at not only screw worm and not only to catalyze and increase our cattle exports to Mexico but he is also looking to request Mexico to accept exports of green coconuts. So he has asked Mexico’s authorities to fast track the risk assessment process for this to happen. So he is not only looking at cattle but overall also looking to see if we can penetrate the market of green coconuts with husk to Mexico. We should have within the near future over five million green coconuts ready to export to Mexico.”

CIRSA is the parent body of the International Regional Agricultural Health Organization OIRSA, which is charged with ensuring plant and animal health security across Central America.