By Zoila Palma: Today, our agricultural and manufacturing sectors are marking a significant milestone with the grand opening of the Green Valley Oil Factory in Spanish Lookout, Cayo District.
The new soybean oil refinery is expected to strengthen local production and support the country’s efforts to become more self-sufficient in meeting its cooking oil needs.
The refinery is an investment by Quality Feed Mill, following the approval of the project by Quality Poultry Products shareholders in 2021.
Ground was broken in March 2022, construction of the building was completed in 2024, and installation of the processing and packaging equipment was completed in late 2025. Testing began in 2025, with the first refined oil reaching store shelves in early 2026.
The facility has the capacity to process approximately 12,000 litres of oil daily. At full capacity, it is expected to meet approximately 60% of Belize’s cooking oil demand, offering a local alternative to imported products.
Senior Advisor to the Ministry of Agriculture Hugh O’Brien says that this opening represents another step in the development of Belize’s soybean industry, which has expanded significantly over the past decades. O’Brien commended CARDI, farmers and the Spanish Lookout community for their contributions to soybean production and expanding soybean production in Belize.
Minister of Agriculture Rodwell Ferguson congratulated Green Valley Oil and the Spanish Lookout community and said that Belize can supply CARICOM since the country is self-sufficient in soybean production.
In addition, Minister Ferguson pledged to make a request to cabinet to increase tariff on imported cooking oil as Green Valley Oil’s vegetable oil makes its way to shelves across Belize.
With the new refinery, Belize aims to make greater use of its locally produced agricultural commodities while strengthening food security and expanding domestic manufacturing.
The post Green Valley Oil refinery opens in Spanish Lookout, marking milestone for Food Security appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: Today, our agricultural and manufacturing sectors are marking a significant milestone with the grand opening of the Green Valley Oil Factory in Spanish Lookout, Cayo District. The new soybean oil refinery is expected to strengthen local production and support the country’s efforts to become more self-sufficient in meeting its cooking oil needs.
The post Green Valley Oil refinery opens in Spanish Lookout, marking milestone for Food Security appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.