Powdered milk could double in price

[NewsWhore]

There are about 2,200 small cheese factories in the Dominican Republic, providing employment for 10,000 people and using 297 million liters of milk each year. The president of the Milk Importers' Association (AIL), Bayardo Mejia Alcala, told reporters that if the government does not reduce the current 20% tariff on powdered milk, a large can of this product could end up costing RD$900, nearly double the current price. Mejia said that milk was subject to the same tariff rate as a Toyota Land Cruiser. According to the importer, milk prices have gone up steeply over recent months and are now above US$5,000 per metric ton, and this price is enough to guarantee that local milk producers will not be driven from the market by imports. The head of the national milk producers' organization, Conaleche, Juan Recio, confirmed that the price increase on the international markets would benefit local producers and cheese manufacturers. Mejia's recently announced a major investment in local dairy products, with the buyout of Michel brand in the East.

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