The Dominican Rice Union (UAD) weighted as appropriate and coherent the accountability speech of President Luis Abinader with regard to the rice sector, which expressed its support and protection against the threat posed by the tariff clearance in two years.
The executive director and spokesperson for the UAD, Heraldo Suero, stated that “Our sector is satisfied with what was expressed today in the speech of the president, especially because of how sensitive and relevant national rice production is for the social and economic stability of the country.
Serum pointed out that “In addition, we join the concern of the President of the Republic to maintain food sovereignty which constitutes a guarantee for national security”.
He specified that “rice producers remain confident in our authorities and we will continue to communicate to the country how worrying this great threat is so that together, as a country, we can defend this essential product.
Relevant data of the rice sector
They dedicate themselves to this crop more than 30,000 producers from 21 provinces and 35 municipalities of the countryin many of which rice is the engine of their local economy.
The cultivation and processing of this grain generates more than 80 thousand jobs and close to 320 thousand indirect jobs.
In the country there are some 300 agro-industries or cereal factories and a very long chain of other companies, small, medium and large that market the product.
The constant effort, technological innovation and investment by producers and the State have made the country self-sufficient and even an exporter of surplus rice. This in addition to ensuring food safety and helps save foreign currency.
The volume of white rice production is close to 14 million quintals per year.
The monetary contribution of the rice sector exceeds 32 billion pesos per year. The country saves about 550 million dollars a year in imports that it would have to do if the rice economy fails.