1. Investing in Belize
“In Belize, business and nature meet, creating an
attractive, sustainable investment climate”. This
quote from the Investor’s Guide aptly describes the
environment in Belize.
Economic Geography
One of Belize’s best assets is its geography. An
English-speaking Commonwealth country it is located
on the Caribbean coast of Central America. North of
Belize is Mexico – less than 2 hours from Belize
City, the commercial capital, and less than an hour
and a half driving south from Belmopan you are on
the border with Guatemala. With a population of just
over 300,000 and land space of 8,876 square miles
(almost 23,000km) is one of the least densely
populated countries in the Americas.
Investment Opportunities
This is traditionally based on agriculture but
the recent focus of government has been on
developing agro-based value-added products.
• Citrus-based Production
Citrus has become the second most important
crop in the country after sugar. It received a
boost when a number of large-scale US investors
moved into the sub sector. Citrus and a range of
citrus-based products continue to do well in the
export market, backed by an active Citrus
Growers’ Association. The Association is seeking
additional investments through the Investment
Forum to expand production.
• Livestock – Beef Production
Currently Belize cannot satisfy its markets
for beef.. The country has thousands of acres
suitable for cattle, first class breeds and
rearing techniques, sound management but little
by the way of capital to expand. It is therefore
promoting investments from the Caribbean,
Central America and elsewhere so that it can
meet its market commitments
The very dynamic Belize Livestock
Association has submitted a proposal requesting
Investors/Financiers for expanded beef
production.
• The Mennonites: Large-scale Exporters of
Beans and Rice
Belize is also home to large groups of
Mennonites, some of whom are the most efficient
Farmers in the Caribbean / Central America
region. The Mennonites, who first came to Belize
in 1958 now control the production of rice,
grains, poultry and dairy products in Belize and
export to Jamaica, Mexico and North America.
Bel-Car Export and Import Company which exports
a range of beans to the Caribbean as well as
North and South America and Australia, is
seeking additional investment support through a
bankable project.
The Hillbank Mennonites, major producers
of rice for domestic and export markets, have
also submitted a project for discussion at the
Forum.
Over the past 15 years Hillbank Agriculture
Company Limited has mastered the technical
aspects of rice production and thus increased
yields and the quality of rice significantly.
They are seeking medium-term financing for
expanding their production facilities and
reducing the risk to flooding by updating their
technology for drainage.
• Algae Oil Bio fuel Production – Mavec
Co. Ltd.
This is a proposal to produce cheap,
environmentally friendly bio diesel fuel across
the region. Mavec is a limited company
registered in Belize. The three principals are
Belizeans but two of them have strong links with
the United States.
2. Investment Opportunities in Jamaica
Jamaica has a strong brand in the international
market place, not only in tourism but in a range of
areas including spices, condiments and flavours and
products which reflect the Jamaican lifestyle and
culture.
The following projects submitted for discussion
at the Forum reflect the current priorities of the
government for increased production in both
strategic and high-value products.
• Expansion of Sheep Farming is one
project geared to satisfy the tourism market.
Currently there are 5,000 ewes on the ground and
the objective is to expand the stock to 60,000
ewes by 2013. Investors are being sought to
expand production.
• Baby Corn, and Other Vegetables for Export
and the Hotel Sector
Green Produce Farm, a 300 acre concern to the
North of Jamaica, is seeking Investors/Financiers to
participate in the current expansion efforts to meet
an expanding EU demand. The Farm is owned and
managed by Patricia Isaacs-Greene a Restarateur and
former vice President and Franchisee in the US-based
McDonald’s Food Chain.
Green Produce prides itself on using sustainable
methods of farming, including organic farming on
land that has never been compromised by the use of
chemicals.
• Cassava and Sweet Potato Products
In response to the current food crisis, the new
and energetic Minister of Agriculture has announced
specific incentives to local and international
investors for farming and processing cassava and
sweet potato to promote food security and nutritious
convenience foods, available more cheaply than
traditional wheat and potato-based products. The
feasibility of rice production is being examined as
well. The Jamaica Scientific Research Council
working with the Extension Service has already
developed more than ten cassava-based products some
of which are available commercially.
Investors are being sought anywhere along the
value chain and a projects is being finalized for
discussion at the Forum.
• A Mechanism for Centrally Marketing
Agricultural Products
This is a business plan from the Jamaica
Agricultural Society to assist its members to
address a key constraint to growth: the organized
marketing of products to the growing number of
hotels as well as to restaurants and wholesale and
retail outlets throughout Jamaica.
2. Investment Opportunities in Guyana
The suggestion that Guyana has the potential to
be the breadbasket for the CARICOM Region has been
around for decades. Now that CARICOM countries have
been facing significant increases in food prices
and, in some cases the limited availability of
popular staples, the discussion has taken on new
urgency.
Like Belize, Guyana has a large land space with a
population of just over 700,000 mostly situated
along the Caribbean Coast. For some time the
government has been eager to develop the hinterland,
and in particular the Savannahs. Bearing this in
mind, the government is working to attract
agriculture investors by making available very
moderately-priced land to interested national and
regional Investors.
• The Development of the Intermediate
Savannah
Long-term lease-holders of some 28,000
hectares of land in the Intermediate Savannah
are seeking regional and international investors
to collaborate in developing the land for
agricultural activities. To this end, the
lease-holders will be submitting a master plan
which includes exotic fruit and vegetable
farming, nurseries, processing and livestock
among other areas.
Currently approximately 12 large leaseholders
and 45 small farmers are benefiting from the
land and producing for the domestic market.
Already they are in discussions with some
potential joint venture partners for citrus
growing and processing, but the size of the
overall project allows for partners in a range
of other areas as well as citrus. A visit to the
area by interested investors could be
accommodated.
• Integrated Pork Production
Jerlon Pork Products Inc wants discussion on
its business plan for growing its pork and pork
products production plant. It hopes to fill the
unmet local demand for pork which exceeds supply
by some 35-40%. This is a fairly young company
which aims to be the foremost producer of pork
products in the country, using state of the art
equipment.
• Field trip for Potential Investors
During the Forum, the Government of Guyana
will be hosting a field trip to Berbice to look
at land that is available for external
investors. Participants will be invited to a
modern aquaculture farm as well.
4. Investment Opportunity - Dominica
- The Essential Oils and Spices Cooperative,
DEOSCO, has a strong regional and external
market for bay oil. This is a cooperative of
farmers that has done well for almost two
decades. They now want to move to the next level
by modernization their production and
diversifying into new oils based on other exotic
products such as herbs and ginger.
5. Investment Opportunities in St.
Vincent & The Grenadines
- Essential Oil – Bufferman Ltd.
Their focus is on the development of the
essential oil industry within the Caribbean and
Latin American region. As a consequence, they
are interested in meeting investors who have 1)
acreage available for growing the raw materials,
(spices, ginger, tumeric, pimento, nutmeg etc.)
and 2) the possibilities of modernising existing
investment with a 5 ton per day (5TPD) Essential
Oil Processing facility developed in India by
the CSIR, to extract oil from fresh (non dried)
botanicals which produces oil at greater yields
and at a higher level of efficiency.
