Government sends foods to small shops

[NewsWhore]

Faced with strong criticism over high food prices, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce has begun to implement a program to ship low-priced foods to local grocery shops known as "colmados". According to El Nuevo Diario, there are 100,000 of these small, neighborhood stores in the DR. They are due to receive rice, beans and eggs at reduced prices. Rice is supposed to sell for RD$12 a pound, and red beans and pinto beans at RD$21 and RD$23 per pound. The price of bread and eggs is meant to be kept down to RD$3 per unit. According to the ministry, it will take some time to supply all the 'colmados', but the process has been initiated with agreements with 30 commercial associations that distribute foodstuffs to these establishments. Ministry of Agriculture trucks will begin to supply barrios with products from the farmer's markets at the same reduced prices.

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