Dominican dairy producers fear 30% plunge on drought

Santo Domingo.- Dominican Milk Producers Association (Aproleche) president Eric Rivero cautioned Thursday that if the drought continues domestic milk production and dairy products could fall as much as 30%.

"The situation is dramatic in almost the entire country, due to reduced water flow in high livestock production areas, which is closely linked to the lack of rain in parts of the Central Cibao, North Shore, South and deep South, and in the east of the country," said the also president of the national agro producers (Confenagro).

He said the livestock situation is critical in provinces with large areas of pasturelands.

More than 300 farmers in the ??Puerto Plata area have reported major losses for pig farms and agriculture caused by the lack of rain in recent months.

They said the prolonged drought has completely dried the lagoons dug for their animals, while the alternate wells have already begun to show signs of depletion.

Reports from other regions also paint a bleak picture for thousands of farmers and ranchers as the drought shrivels crops and parches grazing lands.