NEW ISSUE OF BELIZE AG REPORT IS OUT

***** Beth Roberson dynamic editor of the Belize Ag Report.
BELIZE AG REPORT out this quarter.

It seemed kind of late in publication this issue? Maybe my sense of time is distorted?
This new issue is okay, glossy and fancy as ever. Lots of advertising these days, and the advertising was more interesting than the articles this issue. The previous issues articles had me riveted. Was looking for articles on hog production and economics in detail. But no such thing. Had a query from an interested Canadian investor who was asking questions I could not answer about hog farming commercially here.

Was interested in Neem tree production articles and how to produce something like NEEM oil for export with details. Previous issues had got me interested in this subject. But the; no follow up was disappointing. Jatropha the same story, no follow up. Earlier articles got me interested but, no follow up.

Interesting article on plowing under charcoal to enrich your soil. We have several old articles on this BLOG about that. There was even a guy with a pickup truck of bags of charcoal for sale, came around Hillview here a month back. So there is a supply for farmers wanting to do this soil feeding additive.

Glad to see the magazine is a commercial success. Very good advertising support. I found a little advertisement, that showed there is competition for the small amount of Cacao produced in Toledo, Belize locally. Most of the cacao is exported as organic, jungle shaded at high prices in England, but if locals started to export chocolates here, there would not be enough of a crop. That was interesting, as my neighbor store in Hillview, just started producing chocolate candies and bags of chocolate powder for making chocolate drinks. The candies are out of this world for flavor. Got to get the recipe. ( Figueroa chocolate ) The new venture, small scale of course, does have a fine product for export. They told me they get the TOLEDO CACAO beans, grind them here in Hillview and are producing bags of powdered chocolate for mixing a chocolate type tea, which we like and round candies. Don´t know how we would get that way to exporting these things, with no food wrapping foils available in rolls locally, for cottage industry production. Big problem as is also printed, cardboard cartons, for packing candies and shipping chocolates. I´ve got several candy box samples saved from imported chocolates, but know of nobody locally who even produce boxes and printed containers for candies and biscuits. Without that, exporting is impossible.

Some nice statistics included in this issue. I sure like the statistics, it gives you a sense of perspective and where we are going as a small nation and investment ideas. Beth and John are doing a fine job. Good for her. I´m glad the magazine was successful.