The New River Farmers Cooperative Society based along the New River in Orange Walk in the area of San Carlos and Indian Church produces carrots, potatoes and onions on some 1,500 acres of land. , During a visit of Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise Jose Abelardo Mai last Friday, Maximiliano Hernandez, secretary of the Society said: “Onions, potatoes, and carrots, we did well because we’ve sold all. Our production is good enough. In the last months of the year, we have had better production. The red soil here helps in the color of the carrots.”
Hernandez said the cooperative founded in January 1984 has 38 members, having access to 1,500 acres, 200 being used for residential purposes. Hernandez said that after ten years they ventured into habanero peppers and did well, but later their concentration turned to carrots, potatoes, and onions.
According to breakingbelizenews.com¸ Hernandez said that this year they’ve produced 500,000 pounds of onions on 25 acres. Their potato production reached 450,000 pounds on 30 acres. Carrots returned 200,000 pounds from a cultivation of 10 acres. They also produced 200,000 pounds of watermelon from 10 acres as well. They also cultivated 210,000 pounds of cabbage from seven acres. 180,000 ears of green corn were harvested from 10 acres.