High prices for four products and a crisis in the state sugar industry marked the opening of the New Year. 1996 brought higher prices in basic staples such as rice, potatoes, cooking oil and butter. Also, the information published in the evening newspaper Ultima Hora adds, flour is now being sold at RD$300 instead of RD$280.
The state sugar industry (CEA) adds that it has not been able to start its regular grinding season because the colonos’ (sugar cane growers) refuse to supply cane until a debt of RD$381 million is paid.