Agriculture launches cocoa seed project in Puerto Plata

Puerto Plata.- The Ministry of Agriculture officially launched the NDICI Seed Project on Wednesday, an initiative aimed at enhancing cocoa productivity in the Dominican Republic. Funded by the European Union and implemented by CISS/Jacarafe through the Ministry’s Vice Ministry of Rural Development, the project will introduce a comprehensive technological package to support sustainable cocoa cultivation.

Vice Minister Miriam Guzmán emphasized the project’s benefits for farmers, including the distribution of certified seeds, technical assistance, and training, along with improvements to road infrastructure in cocoa-growing regions. She encouraged producers to embrace such programs, especially given cocoa’s high demand in international markets.

As part of the effort, the Ministry will donate 60,000 cacao plants and offer another 40,000 at subsidized prices under the “Cultivar 10 tareas” program, which supports small-scale farmers. The launch event took place at the farm of Mario González in Los Hidalgos, Puerto Plata, and was attended by key agricultural and environmental officials, as well as representatives from the cocoa sector.