Dominican Republic Agriculture Minister dismisses plantain price hike fears

Dominican Republic’s Minister of Agriculture, Francisco Oliverio Espaillat, has dismissed concerns regarding a potential spike in plantain prices due to ongoing drought conditions. Despite warnings from the Dominican Association of Plantain Producers (Adoplátano) that prices could reach RD$50 per unit if water shortages persist, Espaillat maintains that current production levels are sufficient to prevent a crisis.

The Minister noted that while the drought has impacted crops in the Central Cibao region, weather conditions are beginning to improve with recent rainfall. He emphasized that other agricultural sectors remain stable, citing healthy inventories of rice and strong production of potatoes and onions. He further clarified that crops in the south and northwest are under irrigation and are not facing critical issues.

While the Ministry maintains a contingency plan to mitigate the effects of the drought on food security, some industry leaders remain cautious. The president of Adoplátano warned that current prices are already around RD$25 in some areas and could rise if the shortage continues through 2027. Additionally, the president of the Dominican Agro-Business Board (JAD) suggested that without effective government execution of production plans, the drought could impact output in the coming year.