The economist Miguel Sang Ben believes that the country’s agriculture is not going to fail because of the imposition of a 40 percent tariff ceiling, but adds that the sector’s downfall will be the result of the government’s failure to effect some important economic reforms. He singles out the high cost of raw materials, the lack of finance, and the absence of a modern marketing structure as being the chief problems.
Mr. Beng, a former Technical Secretary to the Presidency who actively participated in the drafting of the Dominican trade proposal for the WTO, contends that a 40 percent tariff level should be enough for the country to be competitive provided the government institutes certain reforms to help farmers to become more productive and efficient.