The US prohibition of DR avocados of the Semil 34 variety will cause approximately US$3.1 million in loss between 01 September and 17 October of this year, and will affect the finances of approximately 25,000 families that directly depend on its farming. According to the president of the Avocado Production Branch of the Dominican Agribusiness Board (JAD), Gustavo Florentino, the prohibition is meant to protect US produces as the measure is in effect during the harvest season in Florida and California. He asked for the intervention of President Leonel Fernandez and Agriculture Minister Amilcar Romero so that the US “practice free trade with justice, leaving behind the imposition of technical barriers, which only represent an obstacle for the commerce of local avocados in their market.” Florentino had recently sustained that restrictions against avocados or any other product are in conflict with a cardinal point of the WTO that defends free trade of products without protectionist restrictions. He sustains that the US puts barriers on Dominican products while it promotes a Free Trade Agreement with the country. Statistics show that the DR exported US$10.7 million worth of avocados in 2004 compared to US$11.7million in 2003. Dominican avocados are exported to the US, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Germany, Italy, the UK, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, St. Martin, Canada, Virgin Islands, France, and Switzerland, among other destinations.