Agriculture Ministry Pushes Plan to Revive Citrus Industry

Minister of Agriculture Rodwell Ferguson says his ministry is intensifying efforts to strengthen Belize’s agricultural sector through a series of high-level meetings and consultations aimed at improving productivity, supporting farmers, and revitalizing key industries across the country.  Today, Ferguson was engaged in discussions with stakeholders at the Citrus Growers Association, where the focus centered heavily on the future of Belize’s struggling citrus industry. The meeting brought together industry representatives, growers, and ministry officials to examine ways to revive production and restore confidence in one of Belize’s historically important agricultural sectors.  Speaking today, Minister Ferguson said the government is exploring ways and means to rebuild and modernize the citrus industry.

Belize’s citrus industry has long been a major contributor to the national economy, particularly in the Stann Creek District, where orange and grapefruit production once generated significant export earnings and employment opportunities for thousands of Belizeans. At its peak in the nineteen-eighties and nineteen-nineties, citrus stood among Belize’s leading export industries alongside sugar and bananas. However, over the past decade, the industry has faced severe setbacks due to citrus greening disease, declining yields, hurricane damage, and financial difficulties affecting growers and processors.