Dominican rice producers face risks from U.S. market opening demands

The political party Fuerza del Pueblo has requested that the United States grant special treatment to Dominican rice within the framework of DR-CAFTA. Héctor Acosta, the party's Secretary of Agricultural Affairs, stated that this measure is necessary to preserve national production and prevent the abrupt displacement of local producers, noting that rice is a fundamental food source and a vital economic driver for over 20 provinces.

Concurrently, Tito Hernández, president of the National Association of Agricultural Professionals (ANPA), warned that the Dominican Republic is unprepared for the total market opening demanded by the U.S. regarding Decree 693-24. Hernández argued that two decades of insufficient investment in irrigation, mechanization, and research have left local farmers unable to compete on equal terms with the highly technical and subsidized U.S. agricultural sector. He cautioned that such competition could jeopardize the livelihoods of approximately 30,000 producers.