Government lifts ban on plantain exports

Santo Domngo.- The National Council for Food and Nutritional Sovereignty and Security (Conassan) announced on Tuesday the immediate lifting of the export ban on plantains and their derivatives.

This decision was approved by the Council, chaired by Minister of the Presidency Joel Santos Echavarría, through Resolution 06-2024. This resolution repeals Resolution 05-2023, which was issued on September 14 of last year, and authorizes the Minister of Agriculture to inform banana producers about the new directive.

The resolution will also be forwarded to the General Directorate of Customs (DGA), the Ministry of Defense, and the Specialized Corps for Land Border Security (Cesfront). It will be published on the websites of the ministries that are part of the National System for Food and Nutrition Sovereignty and Security in compliance with the General Law of Free Access to Public Information.

Members of the Conassan council, including representatives from the ministries of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs (MICM), Agriculture, Economy, Planning and Development, Public Health, and the National Institute for the Protection of Consumer Rights (Pro Consumidor), welcomed the measure.

Minister Santos Echavarría stated, “The existing high levels of production allow us to open exports to encourage plantain production further. We believe that there is price stability, and national consumption will not be affected.”

He also mentioned that the Conassan council will continue to monitor national production and will review the measure in 21 days to ensure the country’s food security.

Key attendees at the Conassan session included Rolando Blanco, director of Setessan; Ramón Pérez Fermín, vice minister of Internal Trade at MICM; Eulalio Ramírez, vice minister of Agricultural Production and Marketing at the Ministry of Agriculture; Luis Madera Sued, vice minister of Planning and Public Investment at the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development; Eddy Alcántara Castillo, director of Pro Consumidor; and Diana Patricia Grullón, director of Nutrition at the Ministry of Public Health, among other members.