Poultry producers face economic and systemic challenges in Dominican Republic and Argentina

Poultry producers in the Dominican Republic are facing potential bankruptcy due to a market imbalance. Producer Alfranny Ferreiras reports that while the cost of producing a pound of live chicken exceeds RD$40, farm-gate prices have dropped below RD$35 due to market saturation. Despite this, consumers continue to pay between RD$85 and RD$100 per pound. Ferreiras attributes the crisis to a lack of coordination regarding imports, which have reportedly risen from 3% to 10% of monthly national production, and a call has been made to President Luis Abinader for direct intervention.

In Argentina, agricultural organizations are advocating for agroecological poultry farming as an alternative to the industrial model. Agronomist Rocío Berazategui highlights that while chicken consumption has reached record levels due to economic crises, the intensive industrial model relies heavily on antibiotics and imported genetics from the United States. Advocates argue this system externalizes costs through environmental pollution and public health risks, pushing for a shift toward family-based farming to ensure food and genetic sovereignty.