BELMOPAN, Belize – Belize say it has received the green light from El Salvador to export agricultural products to the country.
Agriculture Equipment in Belize (via Shutterstock)The Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise said the move is part of the efforts to open markets for Belizean products in El Salvador and that the authorities in that country has informed the Belize Marketing and Development Corporation (BMDC) that a request for a pest risk analysis (PRA) for four commodities ─ carrot, citrus, onion, and pineapple ─ has been approved.
The ministry said PRA is the first step in the exportation of commodities and that Belizean farmers will soon be able to export these products to El Salvador.
Last year, Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise Minister, Jose Abelardo Mai, led a delegation to El Salvador to introduce samples of 10 agricultural commodities grown in Belize. Late last year, the BMDC made a second visit and held discussions with the Salvadoran Ministry of Agriculture and importers to facilitate the PRA.
“The opening of another export market for Belizean products is a major step forward for farmers and the entire Belizean economy. Negotiations with Mexico and Guatemala, our northern and western neighbors, continue to ensure markets for Belizean products are assured through diplomacy and bilateral agreements as promised in Plan Belize,” the ministry said in a statement.
