Cayo

Belmopan- Figures from the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) shows that the overall Consumer Price Index (CPI) in the month of September 2018 stood at 105.4; a 1% increase compared to September 2017.

The variation in CPI per region is however considerable. According to SIB, the twin town of San Ignacio/Santa Elena shows the highest level of price inflation, namely 2.9%. The higher rate of inflation in this region, according to SIB, is mainly due to higher rents in the area.

Dangriga Town on the other hand registered the lowest rate of inflation, with prices actually decreasing 0.6% in the month of September 2018.

The single item which shows the biggest price increase in 2018 for now are pineapples which went up by over 21% compared to a year earlier, while sweet pepper went down by nearly 22% compared to a year ago.

Belmopan- The Ministry of Agriculture has imported a total of 15 Barbados Black Belly Sheep and 6 Katahdin Sheep from the United States of America. Thus far, a total of 66 sheep have been imported as breeding stock at Central Farm Livestock Section in the Cayo District.

The breeding stocks will be incorporated in the ‘National Sheep and Goat Breeding Center’s program’ to consistently provide certified breeding animals to sheep breeders. This will play a vital role in the diversity of bloodline to improve the genetics of sheep in Belize and to establish a Breeding Stock Certification program. In accordance with the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) regulation for the importation of live animals, the newly-imported sheep are presently on a 30-day quarantine at Central Farm.

A three-year cooperation agreement in Genetic Improvement in Sheep and Goat Project was signed in December 2015 between the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the Government of Belize with the objective to increase the productivity of sheep by improving the National Breeding Center infrastructure at Central Farm, importing new breeding stocks, and conducting workshops for farmers and technicians.