NewsWhore
09-22-2011, 03:40 PM
Hundreds of rice farmers from the north of the country have staged a massive demonstration in a convoy-march calling on the government to halt large-scale rice imports, and to set the price for a "fanega" of rice that is sold to the rice mills at RD$2,100 pesos, among other demands. (A 'fanega' is a dry measure equal to 1.58 bushels, or about 55.5 kilograms). The rice farmers departed from San Francisco de Macoris and marched and drove to the Ministry of Agriculture buildings in La Vega.
The president of the National Rice Producers Federation (Fenarroz), Ivan Tio Pimentel, said that the sale price agreed with the National Rice Commission was RD$2,100 for a 125 pound bag of rice, but is currently being sold at RD$1,700. "Our sector has lost RD$1.4 billion pesos over the last few months and our debts to our suppliers now exceed RD$2.5 billion," said Tio Pimentel. He also complained that the high production costs, the result of increased fuel prices and arrears in the RD$700 million payment for the governmental program. The producers, moreover, agreed to continue their struggle to make the government aware about the true plight of the sector.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#5)
The president of the National Rice Producers Federation (Fenarroz), Ivan Tio Pimentel, said that the sale price agreed with the National Rice Commission was RD$2,100 for a 125 pound bag of rice, but is currently being sold at RD$1,700. "Our sector has lost RD$1.4 billion pesos over the last few months and our debts to our suppliers now exceed RD$2.5 billion," said Tio Pimentel. He also complained that the high production costs, the result of increased fuel prices and arrears in the RD$700 million payment for the governmental program. The producers, moreover, agreed to continue their struggle to make the government aware about the true plight of the sector.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#5)