Chicken farmers lose RD$600M

[NewsWhore]

Poultry producers from the Cibao region have told legislators that they have lost RD$600 million since the Haitian import ban on Dominican poultry and eggs went into effect. According to sector representatives, if the government does not stimulate local consumption (one supermarket chain has announced 30-pack eggs for RD$29.95, down from RD$99.99 a few weeks ago) and renewed exports to Haiti, losses could reach RD$700 million by the end of February. Members of the Senate Agricultural Committee held a meeting with farmers at the headquarters of the Association of Small Poultry Farmers of Moca. The delegation was headed by senators Amilcar Romero, himself a former Minister of Agriculture, Francisco Dominguez Brito, Felix Nova, Luis Rene Canaan, Winston Guerrero, Andres Bautista, Mario Torres, Euclides Sanches, Ramon de la Rosa, Rafael Diaz and Antonio Cruz. One farmer, Enriquillo Rivas, told the senators that he felt that the government had been too slow to react to the Haitian boycott and as a result the situation had become explosive. He added that the boycott, combined with high taxes on supplies and feed, has created much higher costs. In the short term, consumers are benefiting from the low chicken and egg prices.

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