Franklin Romero proposes law to protect Dominican rice production

Senator Franklin Romero has submitted a bill to the Dominican Republic Senate aimed at protecting and promoting national rice production. The proposed legislation seeks to establish a legal framework to strengthen the sector, enhance productivity, and ensure food security, with a specific focus on supporting small and medium-sized producers.

A key component of the bill is the creation of the National Rice Competitiveness Program, which would be coordinated by the Ministry of Agriculture. This program is intended to reduce production costs, improve rice quality, foster technological innovation, and minimize losses during harvesting, transport, and storage. It also aims to facilitate access to financing, agricultural insurance, and marketing services.

The initiative follows concerns regarding the sector's future after the repeal of Decree No. 693-24, which had provided tariff protections against imports. The bill has been referred to the Senate's Permanent Commission on Agricultural and Agro-industrial Affairs and reportedly carries the signatures of nearly all senators.