Dominican leader warns Haiti of “drastic” measures on poultry ban

Santo Domingo.- President Danilo Medina on Tuesday warned of possibly drastic measures to prevent Dominicans eggs and poultry’s dependence on Haiti’s market and ruled out shuttering the border as some sectors suggest, because "we don’t have to go that far," calling the standoff trade dispute.

He didn’t specify what measures could be taken and announced a meeting with poultry farmers at the Agriculture Ministry tomorrow to find a solution to the glut.

"The Minister of Agriculture will meet tomorrow with the producers of chickens and eggs, let’s see what measures we can work with them. We might have to take measures likely drastic, but we have to take them," Medina said, noting that the country should start looking for solutions to Haiti’s ban on Dominican poultry imports.

The chief executive, speaking at groundbreaking for the Santo Domingo Beltway, whose first phase will cost more than US$97.0 million, revealed that economic interests in Haiti and other nations are behind the ban, but didn’t provide specifics.

He said "it’s business, they requested a grace period, but didn’t say how long," when asked about Haiti’s decision to study the request prior to lifting the ban which he affirms is unreasonable, since the Pan-American Health Organization certified that there’s no bird flu in the country.