Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Government, acting through Inespre, has acquired 13,793,000 units of green bananas from members of the Dominican Association of Banana Producers (ADOBANANO), representing an investment exceeding 40 million pesos.
This procurement was made possible by a signed agreement between Inespre’s director, Iván Hernández Guzmán, and ADOBANANO’s president, Hilario Pelegrín, under the directive of the Presidency of the Republic.
The bananas were purchased at a rate of 2.90 pesos per unit and are now being sold for RD$1.00 pesos each, subsidized by the government, at 23 Inespre producers’ markets operating on Wednesdays and Saturdays across various regions of the country, with details available on the social media handle @inesprerd.
Iván Hernández Guzmán, the director of Inespre, stated that this agreement benefits 1,890 member producers of ADOBANANO, with the institution selling over 2 million units of bananas weekly. This initiative aims to support the Dominican countryside and national productive sectors.
Hernández Guzmán also mentioned another initiative: the disbursement of RD$10 million pesos to members of the Cibao Breeders’ Cooperative (COOPCIBAO) for the procurement of eggs following the border closure. This transaction was facilitated by Inespre’s Marketing director, Antony Arzeno, and handed over to José Pichardo and Laura Inoa, directors of COOPCIBAO.
Points of sale for bananas by weight include farmers’ markets held on Wednesdays and Saturdays in Herrera, San Pedro de Macorís, Los Alcarrizos, Avenida Venezuela in Santo Domingo Este, Santo Domingo Norte, La Victoria, El Seibo, Hato Mayor, and The Roman. Additionally, fixed points in Barahona, Cotuí, Villa La Mata, Santiago, Puerto Plata, Sabana Grande de Boyá, San Juan de la Maguana, Higüey, Las Matas de Farfán, Consuelo in San Pedro de Macorís, Villa Hermosa de La Romana, Bonao, Bagua, and La Vega are also selling bananas. Inespre urges the population to take advantage of this opportunity.