By Belize Live News Staff: The numbers tell a worrying story: Belize is buying more from the world and selling less.
Statistician Tiffany Vasquez says domestic exports have been declining for years. After a brief rebound in 2022 and a levelling off in 2023 and 2024, she says the country has resumed the path of decline.
From January to August 2026, exports earned $272.8 million, down from $317 million in the same period last year. Sugar and citrus, two of Belize’s traditional export earners, declined the most.
Imports, meanwhile, climbed 15.8 percent to a record $2.207 billion.
Vasquez said imports continued to rise in the first half of the year while exports remained relatively stable, pushing the merchandise trade deficit to about $1.2 billion.
The figures highlight the growing gap between what Belize produces for export and what it brings in from abroad.
