Investment Opportunities

Investment Opportunities

Belize’s agricultural products are recognized for taste and quality. Over the past few years Belize has engaged in activities in the areas of agro-processing, aquaculture and organic crops farming, exporting quality products to many parts of the world.

Opportunities for agricultural investment in Belize exist along the entire value chain. These involve activities in the production of inputs and raw materials to value addition and agro-processing for aquaculture, dairy, livestock, and agricultural products.

The main areas for investment opportunity in agribusiness are:

1.) Primary products – (traditional and non-traditional produce, vegetables, organic produce, and fisheries and aquaculture):

  • Grain production (beans, corn, rice)
  • Papayas
  • Pineapples
  • Hot peppers
  • Root crops (cassava, potato, coco-yam)
  • Forest products (lumber, honey, xate, orchids, other plant species)
  • Fresh and salt water fish farming

2.) Value-added Products/Agro-processing:

  • Processed meats (livestock and aquaculture)
  • Food processing ( canned and processed foods, dehydrated and individually quick frozen fruits and vegetables, etc.)
  • Pepper sauces
  • Snacks and cookies
  • Dairy products
  • Cereals, corn meal and grain products
  • Fruit juices, concentrates, drinks, purees, blends
  • Wines & spirits
  • Medicinal herbs and wines
  • Rainforest botanicals
  • Chocolate and other confectionaries
  • Sauces, jams, jellies, preserves, assorted sauces and powders
  • Edible oils (oleaginous plants)

3.) Bio Fuel

  • Ethanol (sugar cane)
  • Bio-diesel (oleaginous plants)

4.) Agricultural/agribusiness inputs

  • Fertilizers
  • Natural additives
  • Packaging and labeling
  • Animal feed

5.) Forestry:

  • Commercial forest plantations
  • Carbon credits

6.) Cattle:

For Belize to legally export live cattle to Mexico, they must be free of Brucellosis, Tuberculosis and Mad Cow Disease. A National Cattle Sweep will occur in Belize. The first phase of the National Cattle Sweep is expected to commence in April 12 to test all cattle for Brucellosis, Tuberculosis and the surveillance plan for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy or Mad Cow Disease. The sweep will be conducted by regions until the entire country is tested. For the first phase the sweep will occur in the districts of Corozal& Orange Walk. If the results are successful cattle farmers in these districts will have the opportunity to legally export live cattle to Mexico starting in late 2012; since testing in these two districts will take 9-10 months to complete.

They would like to meet with Mexican importers/wholesalers of live cattle for slaughtering, and with Mexican investors interested in a joint venture to establish a slaughtering/packaging facility for cracass/beef in Belize. They would also like to have an opportunity to meet with government officials in Mexico to know what are the importing requiremenst for carcass/beef into Mexico, and also with Foreign Trade staff. Current breeds are primarily Nelore and Brama with increasing number of European crosses. (Angus, Brangu, Charolai and Brown Swiss). There current stock has great potential for expansion.