Agriculture Minister Limber Cruz has assured that rice prices will remain unchanged as the country is able to supply local markets and keep the sector stable.
He said that despite the increases in international inputs used in food preparation and production, cereals will remain unchanged, as the organization of the 2020-2021 rice planting season will allow for one of the most productive crops in the world. lately.
He said that in order to guarantee food safety and competitive prices in the market, the sector has 1,200,000 crop loads, which produce 12 million quintals annually. 30,000 producers are involved in production, providing over 800,000 direct and indirect jobs, according to the minister.
When he held a meeting with representatives of the main entities that bring together rice producers and factories in the experimental station of the Rice (Bio-Rice) Directorate for Agriculture, Cruz said that the main food of the Dominican basic basket is safe because the agreements that The government concluded them with these sectors guarantees the stability of product prices.
“I understand what you mean for the country, produce first-class rice, one of the best in the world, and this is part of the food security I’m talking about,” the official told representatives of the National Federation of Rice Producers (Fenarroz); Dominican Factory Association, Northwest Producers Association, Agrarian Reform Federation of Rice Producers, among others.
He added that his main goal is for all Dominicans to have food security and that crops are harvested efficiently, with good varieties and yields.
“We work with all productive sectors of the country, mainly those in the eight sensitive consumer goods, and we recognize the efforts and sacrifices you are making to maintain the stability of rice prices,” he said.
Minister Cruz, in the company of the head of the cabinet for agriculture, Freddy Fernández, the director of Bio-Rice, Cristino Durán and the technicians of the sector, agreed with the producers to convene the National Rice Commission (CONA) to set the price of food.
He thanked the efforts and sacrifices that the participants in the production chain make to guarantee the quality and prices of the rice, despite the fact that it is a product with a high external component.
The meeting was attended by President Fenarroz, José Mauricio; and businessmen and personalities related to the sector, such as Roberto Familia; Jesus Coronado; Marcos Rodríguez; Manolo Tavárez Justo; Mangi Pimentel; Geraldo Cosme; Juan Manuel Portela; Santo Paulino and Marcelo Reyes.