Belize bought more from the world in March than it sold, and the country’s traditional export earners are weakening.
According to the Statistical Institute of Belize’s latest report on External Trade, total merchandise imports reached $321.4 million in March 2026, a 38.7% increase compared to the same month last year. At the same time, domestic exports fell 18.7%, from $30.9 million to $25.1 million.
The import surge was driven largely by higher purchases of manufactured goods, mineral fuels, and machinery. Belize imported more diesel, construction materials, and telecommunication equipment during the month.
On the export side, the outlook was far less encouraging for producers and farmers. Red kidney bean revenues fell by $2.1 million. Formal cattle exports dropped from $1.9 million to zero, no cattle were exported at all in March 2026. Citrus earnings declined by $1.8 million, while sugar was down $0.8 million due to both lower volumes and weaker market prices.
For farming communities and exporters, these are not abstract figures. Falling revenues mean reduced income, tighter margins, and harder decisions about the season ahead.
Some bright spots did emerge. Banana revenues edged up to $8.5 million. Molasses jumped from $0.04 million to $1.0 million. Marine products, including lobster and shrimp, also improved modestly.
For the first three months of 2026, exports totalled $65.4 million, down 9.1% from the same period last year.
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