Industry & Commerce Minister Sonia Guzman said that the US-DR Free Trade Agreement is a closed issue. She said that the debates regarding sugar imports and exports and other topics covered in the negotiations ?were duly concluded on 15 March 2004,? as reported in Hoy newspaper. Guzman was the head of the Dominican negotiating team. She said that President Hipolito Mejia ?has knocked on the doors of the US in a mere political effort, to see if certain points could be varied from a political perspective.?
Guzman was referring to reports that the Dominican government would like to see changes made to the treatment of sugar in the trade accord, whose approval and implementation could be put on hold given the possible impasse.
?I have said, and I repeat, that regarding trade matters, the negotiations are over,? said Guzman in a letter sent to Hoy newspaper.
She explained that the Dominican Republic is given a sugar quota in the preferential US market of 185,000 tons that it has been unable to supply because of insufficient production. Guzman considers the aspirations of the private producers Grupo Vicini and Central Romana to be disproportionate, after they requested an additional quota of 140,000 tons upon the trade negotiations? conclusion.
She explained the concerns that the local market?s demands, estimated at 400,000 tons, might prefer cheaper imports. At present time, only Dominican sugar producers are authorized to import sugar for resale to the local market at set prices that are higher than market value.
According to the terms negotiated, the sugar producers have been given 15 years to prepare to open their markets.
?I believe the sugar industry needs to prepare to become more efficient and reduce the cost of their products for the national market,? said Guzman.