The Dominican Republic is finding it difficult to apply the old adage “One good turn deserves another” especially when it comes to the PetroCaribe agreement with Venezuela. The DR receives oil from Venezuela on very favorable credit terms and is allowed to pay for much of it with farm produce and other goods and services previously accepted by Venezuela. However, one pre-requisite is that the DR has to offer preferential prices for these goods and services provided as payment of the debt. According to El Caribe, the Dominican Republic is not finding it easy to do this. This condition is the principal barrier for the export of black beans n a staple food in Venezuela where they are known as caraotas, the product most likely to be used to repay the Bolivarian Republic. The problem is simple. While the Venezuelan state owns the oil it sells, the Dominican Republic, according to Agriculture Minister Luis Ramon Rodriguez, has to buy the black beans from independent farmers. Venezuela wants to credit the DR at the going international price of the product, US$1,140/ton, which translates to RD$2,400 a quintal (100 lbs). Dominican farmers sell the beans on the local market at RD$2,800 a quintal, and the government cannot subsidize the 14% difference. This would result in increasing the US$3.6 billion already owed to Venezuela.