Rice costs an average of 35 pesos, according to the Minister of Agriculture

Several sectors have denounced the increase in the price of rice, but the Minister of Agriculture, Limbert Cruz, rejects it, assuring that the average price of the cereal is 35 pesos per pound.

“I am constantly monitoring the prices of the products of the basic basket, I do not know why it is being said that rice is at 65 pesos, and I have seen and we have done a survey, even and there is an average of rice, from 33 pesos to 37 pesos,” said the official.

He added that there is another type of this cereal with a value of 45 pesos, but of “a specific brand.”

“I don’t understand why this unnecessary movement, I think that perhaps to tarnish the president’s speech on February 27, could be,” he suggested regarding the complaints of the increase in the cost of food.

He assured that “it is very difficult to control the prices” of the establishments.

Rice production

Limbert Cruz urged the Dominican population to remain calm since the product is being produced ” well.”

“We have a rice inventory that exceeds 5.3 million quintals, almost doubling what we had a year ago in this same month,” he said.

He also stated that the average rice production in the last four years has been 14 million quintals.