Belize’s shrimp industry is on the brink of expanding its export potential, thanks to a collaboration with Taiwan. Hernán Zetina, Technical Director of Quarantine, and Zoe Robertson Zetina, Managing Director of the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA), are currently participating in a critical training course in Taiwan. This initiative aims to enhance Belize’s biosecurity protocols and foster new opportunities for marine product exports, particularly shrimp.

International Cooperation for Biosecurity

The quarantine training course, funded by Taiwan’s International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF), gathers 32 officials from 21 countries across Africa, the Middle East, South America, and Central America. The primary objective of the course is to share Taiwan’s expertise in policy development, regulations, and biosecurity protocols. With the increasing risks posed by pests and diseases, safeguarding agriculture has become paramount for countries reliant on agricultural exports.

Participants are engaging in a thorough exchange of experiences related to their own biosecurity frameworks, highlighting both successes and the challenges they face. Each representative is tasked with presenting their country’s quarantine system, culminating in a collaborative presentation aimed at advocating for improved quarantine measures for both plant and animal health.

Belizean Shrimp on the Agenda

Beyond biosecurity, the Belizean delegation has a specific goal: expanding Belize’s shrimp exports. During their visit, the BAHA team is meeting with Taiwan’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to advance discussions on exporting Belizean shrimp. The FDA is conducting a risk assessment of shrimp imports from Belize, and a site visit by Taiwanese officials is scheduled for late October 2024. This visit will assess facilities in Belize that are interested in exporting marine products.

This collaboration includes not only BAHA but also the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food Security (MAFSE) and other key industry stakeholders. These efforts are aimed at finalizing the import requirements for Belizean shrimp by the end of 2024. The successful conclusion of these negotiations would strengthen trade relations between Taiwan and Belize, while ensuring the safety and quality of imported marine products.