Belize Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in belize, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
Select Country Guide
Agriculture and Agro-Processing
Last published date:

Overview 

Agriculture and agribusiness are integral parts of Belize’s economy and the base of the productive sector, supporting large numbers of workers. This sector also contributes to the overall food security of the country as locally grown fruit and vegetables are consumed domestically. Agriculture and agribusiness thrive in Belize due to significant rainfall and a relatively stable year-round sub-tropical climate. Sugar, banana, and shellfish production dominate the sector in terms of revenue, alongside hot pepper sauces, processed jams, jellies, extracts, and pastes.  Coconut, cacao, and coffee are produced in small quantities but primarily for the local market and for restaurants catering to the tourist industry. Belize’s largest agricultural products by volume were corn, rice, beans, and sorghum, all primarily for domestic consumers. 

Agricultural Machinery

Value-added agriculture investments are needed to expand irrigation, product storage, affordable food packaging, and preservation. Farms in Belize generally lack irrigation systems or modern agricultural equipment. Efficiency and yield per acre could be significantly improved with additional capital investment. Food packaging, preservation, and value-added investments are needed to promote food security and enhance revenues for producers. 

Disease prevention and natural disaster mitigation are Belize’s top concerns. Both the citrus and shrimp farming industries continue to battle with disease. The citrus industry continues to experience a decline in production from citrus greening (Huanglongbing) disease, while shrimp farming is slowly rebounding from a bacterial disease that had stalled production since 2015. 

Opportunities

Agribusiness opportunities include the production of raw produce in traditional agriculture, organic agriculture, and aquaculture sectors; value-added agribusiness and livestock; and biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. Opportunities in this sector exist in agricultural machinery and equipment, modernization systems and the incorporation of sustainable technology in agricultural practices, processes, and equipment (e.g., improved irrigation, fertilization, organic production), as well as better disease and pest management. The sale of production inputs also presents opportunities to U.S. businesses as Belize’s agricultural sector depends largely on imported inputs such as fertilizer, packaging materials, and machinery largely sourced from Central America. Agriculture-related opportunities also exist in value-added investments and trade to advance packaging and preservation methods; improved production and processing processes; product marketing and branding; and storage and export handling. 

Resources

  • Belize Ministry of Agriculture 
  • Belize Agricultural Health Authority 
  • Belize Bureau of Standards 
  • Belize Trade and Investment Development Service 
  • Government of Belize Procurement Portal

×

Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

Limitations

As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

Privacy

The Chatbot does not collect information about users and does not use the contents of users’ chat history to learn new information. All feedback is anonymous. Please do not enter personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive, or proprietary information into the Chatbot. Your conversations will not be connected to other interactions or accounts with ITA. Conversations with the Chatbot may be reviewed to help ITA improve the tool and address harmful, illegal, or otherwise inappropriate questions.

Translation

The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

Privacy Program | Information Quality Guidelines | Accessibility