Belize aiming to become regional coconut powerhouse

With regional food security having in recent years moved ever closer to being one of the Caribbean’s more serious challenges, CARICOM member countries have been making a more discernable effort to maximize their food production. While Guyana has always been ahead of the regional ‘pack’ in terms of its focus on food security, countries in the region that have been less mindful of the role that changing weather patterns can play in compromising agricultural production and, by extension, food security have been, in some instances taking a different view regarding their food security bona fides in the light of the footprint left on countries’ food security in the wake of Beryl’s onslaught. What is now unmistakable, across the Caribbean, is that the public and private sectors has manifested themselves in shoring up their countries’ agricultural bona fides.

Earlier this month a delegation of officials from Belize’s Ministry of Foreign Trade, led by Dr. Osmond Martinez, visited Belize’s Obregon Coconut Company Ltd., which, since its establishment in 2018, has reportedly metamorphosed into one of Belize’s agricultural powerhouses. By the more imposing standards set by agricultural projects elsewhere in the Caribbean, including Guyana, Obregon is a modest undertaking. That said, it symbolizes the significantly enhanced awareness across the region of the importance of Caribbean countries creating agricultural bona fides – however those may be – to signal an awareness that Beryl’s successors may not be lagging too far behind her. Obregon reportedly spans 3,500 acres, including 2,100 acres equipped with advanced drip irrigation systems; the company specializes in cultivating Hybrid Chactumel and Brazilian Green Dwarf coconuts. Last year, Obregon harvested in excess of two million coconuts and has forecast a 10 million production level for this year. With coconut regarded as one of the more versatile food crops in the region, Belize has positioned itself to play a key role as a regional food producer.

Unsurprisingly, Belize is in the process of preparing the Obregon Coconut Company to become one of its important food security bulwarks. It has embarked on the creation of a state-of-the-art packing station which is due to be completed between 2025 and 2026 and which is expected to streamline production. With the global coconut market size estimated to be USD 5.46 billion in 2025 and expected to reach USD 8.78 billion by 2030 the Obregon Coconut Company is also reportedly pursuing new export opportunities within CARICOM, the United States, and the European Union. Setting its focus on international market penetration, Belize is also reportedly focusing attention of value-added production and international market penetration. Belize’s relative newness to the sector means that it is reportedly wrestling with some of its familiar challenges including drought, pest management, and labour shortage.