The government authorized the import of 1,500,000 units of frozen chicken to confront the decline in production at poultry farms caused by the heat wave affecting the DR. The heat wave has resulted in an 18% increase in the mortality of chickens. As a result, the price of chicken in markets has increased to RD$16.00 the pound, about a 40% increase. Minister of Agriculture Amilcar Romero said that the government authorized only producers of chicken to make the imports. Hoy newspaper mentions that the limitation of the imports to producers is in violation of the agreements signed by the Dominican government with the World Trade Organization. The newspaper points out that by assigning quotas only to producers, consumers lose out as price competition is eliminated. Furthermore, he said that producers will be making more money with less effort in the imports than by producing chicken here. The newspaper points out the similarities to the recent case of sugar imports. The government, likewise, has turned the nation’s two leading sugar producers into its leading sugar importers in detriment to consumers and industrial users of sugar.
