By Belize Live News Staff: Prime Minister John Briceño made a rare appearance at Tower Hill in the Orange Walk District on Monday for the official opening of the 2026 sugarcane harvest and milling season, signaling renewed confidence in the future of Belize’s sugar industry.
The ceremony marked the formal launch of the new crop year by the Government of Belize, the Belize Sugarcane Farmers Associations, and the mill. Officials described the 2026 season as one shaped by healthier cane fields, improved coordination, and stronger production prospects across northern Belize.
Addressing farmers and stakeholders, Prime Minister Briceño highlighted the resilience of cane farmers and explained why the sugar industry was placed under the direct responsibility of the Office of the Prime Minister. He emphasized that decisive government action, not rhetoric, helped stabilize the sector after last year’s crisis.
Briceño pointed to a $120 million long-term investment plan, emergency funding to combat fusarium disease, and targeted support for farmers adapting to climate change. He said government intervention helped reverse declining productivity and expressed confidence that the industry could reach one million tons of cane this season.
