Tuesday 7 January 2014

Cane Farmers Argues For Bagasse

In 1848 Sugar cane was brought into Corozal District from Yucatan. When Libertad Factory opened in 1935, after a declined in the 19 century, More and More land where used to grow cane and after it spreaded to Orange Walk. Today the factory moved to Orange Walk and crushers are used to extract the sugar and more than 41,000 acres of land are used to plant cane. Today the factory is having major problems in the growing of plants. They have a delay on crop season and less time before crop season is over. The year has started and yet no crops are sent to the factory. The Farmers wants an agreement by the Prime Minister to act as a mediator aiming to help the parties reaching an agreement and committee and agreement indicating BSI's Memorandum Baggasse payment. 

In 2010, an MOU was called together in BSI, because they had Financial Problems. BSI signed  an MOU so that they can get 10 million dollars by the Government. At this present time, a Lawyer is working at this matter and Alfredo Ortega– Vice Chair, BSCFA sent out an invitation requesting a meeting with the Prime Minister. It will indicate where they will sign an MOU between BSCFA, BSI and the Government of Belize. In 2011 the prices were $72.17 per ton which was an average of 61 million dollars that was paid to farmers. Baggasse was used to produce electricty after the process of white sugar, brown sugar, molasses and electricity from sugarcane.


 Bagasse is used for electricity. It produces a burning of Sugarcane bagasse which is then turn to water to steam. Then, the steam turns to turbine is and produces electricity.  This process is called Sucrose, extracted and purified in specialized mill factories, is used as raw material in human food industries or is fermented to produce ethanol. Ethanol is produced by Belize Sugar Industries/American Sugar Refining to generate electricity which is then sold to Belize Electricity Limited for a profit. 


When the press release came out from BSCFA, the courage of BSI to try to mislead  the cane farmers into wanting to accept the conditions that payment will be solve on issueing for by-products MA- Memorandum of Agreement, BSI second disagreement was that they are afraid of New ownership and third that there will be no legal prejudgment.But, there is yet an unknown process for condensed matter payment for Bagassee. At this time only discussion are being made by the Prime Minister.  The BSCFA states that it is BSI who has been doing the scandal of the Baggasse. BSCFA has been urging to Cane Farmers to start since December 2012, but they refuse the conditions of wanting to pay for baggasse..  Cane Farmers are to meet again on January 12th.