Facing possible imports of 900,000 hundredweight of rice, the president of the Dominican Federation of Rice Growers, Fernando Valero, rejected the need to increase the price of the cereal or import any from abroad. According to the Fenarroz president, there is enough rice in storage to satisfy the national demand for the staple until March. Valerio did admit that the massive flooding of the low-lying rice fields was a step backwards, and would delay the planting schedules of the crop that normally is harvested in late March or early April. Valerio said that while this is an inconvenience, there was no need for the public to worry about the supply of rice.
Meanwhile, green peppers are exceedingly scarce and very dear, according to the Diario Libre, which says the price of the vegetable so popular in Dominican cuisine has skyrocketed from RD$8.00 a pound to RD$64.95. The recent rains damaged the harvest to cause this incredible price hike.