Merchants assure that there is price stability in markets

SANTO DOMINGO – In the last 25 days, the prices of agricultural products have decreased from 50% to more than 60% about the beginning of November, assured the Federation of Provisions Traders and SMEs.

However, products such as eggs and chicken have experienced a rise of between 10 and 15% in this period, said Miguel Minaya, president of the New Market Traders Association.

He said that among the products that have registered price reductions are onions, which went from RD$70 per pound to RD$30, garlic from RD$200 to RD$90 for imported products, and RD$80 for Creole products.

The same is true of plantains, which used to be priced between RD$30 and RD$40 per unit, and now range from RD$13 to RD$15 for the Barahona variety Cibaeño plantain is between 6, 7, and 8 pesos. “There is no longer any need to pay RD$30 and RD$40 for a banana.

In the banana case, it’s three pesos of first quality and two pesos,” said the leader during the celebration of the day of the supplying merchant.

Minaya pointed out that there are also losses in the case of vegetables after Luis Abinader implemented the price reduction plan. He added that the potato, which was at RD$40, is at RD$18, the boogaloo tomato went from RD$30 to RD$12, and the carrot to RD$15 the free one.

He emphasized that this will guarantee that families have access to essential products during the Christmas season. However, he called attention to the fact that products such as chicken and eggs are becoming scarce in the market.

Shortage of chicken

Pavel Concepción, president of the Dominican Association of Poultry Farmers, explained that the reduction in chicken supply is due to a low production affected by the fall in sales in previous months the restrictions by the Covid-19.

He also expressed that the increases are due to more than 45% of production costs. As they are raw materials, transportation added to the devaluation of the local peso. He explained that the chicken price on the farm went from RD$ 28 to RD$ 36, while in the pollera, it is RD$56 and RD$60 depending on the location and trade.

He said that by March, the price of chicken would be down, as production has increased.

Red Alert

– Proposal.
The Federation of Provisions Traders called on the Government to mediate actions to stabilize chicken and eggs’ price, pointing out that they are essential for family consumption.

Agriculture seeks price stability
Merchandise. Despite the shortage of chicken and eggs, the producers of this sector and the pork ones assured that there would be enough Christmas production.

This is how producers of the referred products were informed during a meeting with Limber Cruz, Minister of Agriculture.

The official affirmed that he works to guarantee the balance between stable prices to the consumer and the producer’s profitability to sustain national production and food security.