May 22, 2025

Onion producers from across Corozal and Belize Districts gathered at the Corozal Methodist School conference room for the Second Onion Production Meeting, hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise. The session focused on reviewing production progress, evaluating storage capacity, examining market prices, and addressing the major challenges currently affecting onion cultivation.

According to the latest production update, onion harvest is presently active only in Corozal and Belize Districts, with projections indicating a June 2025 harvest of approximately 32,000 pounds from 3 acres of cultivated land, 1.3 acres of white onions expected to yield 14,500 pounds, and 1.7 acres of yellow onions producing 17,500 pounds.

In the Bomba area, an additional 1 acre of onions is still in the field, consisting of 0.3 acres of white onions and 0.7 acres of yellow onions, with an estimated yield of 15,000 pounds. No purple onions are currently planted in any of the regions.

To date, the actual harvest recorded stands at 12,963 bags, totaling an impressive 648,150 pounds of onions, marking a productive season for the country’s onion industry. This data highlights the potential of onion farming and the need for continuous coordination among producers and stakeholders to sustain growth.

During the meeting, Mr. Joe Lisbey from the Resilient Rural Belize (RRB) project presented a marketing strategy for onions, aimed at improving market access, preventing oversupply, and stabilizing farm-gate prices.

Stakeholders emphasized that climate conditions remain a significant challenge, particularly in the form of pest and fungal outbreaks, which threaten crop quality and yield if not properly managed.

Also in attendance were Dr. Geraldo Flowers from the Resilience Rural Belize, Mr. Serjio Tillett from the Belize Marketing and Development Corporation (BMDC), Mr. Andrew Mejia, Director of Extension Services, and technical officers from the Ministry’s Extension and Policy Unit.

The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with producers to address challenges in production, storage, and marketing. By strengthening technical support and promoting informed planning.