New Cheese Factory in Shipyard Boosts Belize’s Dairy Industry

The inauguration of a new cheese factory in Shipyard marks a significant milestone for the dairy industry in Belize. Constructed by the Northern Dairy Farmers, the facility aims to enhance value-added processing for milk and dairy products produced in Shipyard, an area whose milk production competes with that of Spanish Lookout.  The opening ceremony was attended by the Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise (MAFSE), Jose Abelardo Mai. In his speech, Minister Mai emphasized the importance of local production over imports. He highlighted the challenges local producers face in obtaining machinery and other resources for value addition while competing with subsidized products imported from abroad. Minister Mai expressed optimism for the future where Belizean products no longer need to compete with imports.