DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

Authorities at the Ministry of Agriculture authorized the import of 4.7 million quintals in 2024, a move local producers claim destabilized the market.

Rice is more than just a staple in the Dominican Republic; it is the cornerstone of the national diet and a symbol of agricultural pride. For nearly two decades, the country has boasted a self-sufficiency rate of 106%, keeping annual imports to a minimum, usually hovering around half a million quintals.

However, 2024 emerged as a statistical anomaly that disrupted years of market stability, Diario Libre reports.

According to data from the General Customs Agency (DGA) and the Ministry of Industry, Commerce (MICM), the government in 2024 authorized the highest volume of foreign rice purchases in decades. Over 4.7 million quintals entered the country last year, carrying a price tag of US$152.6 million.

To put that figure...