The rice farmers most affected by the flooding, those of the Lower Yuna Basin, are being assisted by technicians from the Ministry of Agriculture to save their crops. According to Ministry of Agriculture, a team from the ministry is in the Lower Yuna ascertained that nearly 60% of the rice had been harvested prior to the flooding.
There is some rice that has been affected, but not an enormous amount, said Minister of Agriculture Angel Estevez. He said this year’s crop was one of the largest harvests ever, so consumers should not be affected by rice scarcities in local markets. He added that the Dominican rice farmers are today averaging never before seen levels of production of 8,000 to 9,000 kg per hectare, which he said was not something very common in the Dominican Republic.
Estevez referred to statements made by José Mauricio Maria, the president of the National Federation of Rice Producers, who had mentioned that 700,000 tareas of rice plantations had been affected by the flooding. The minister instead said that there are over one million tareas planted in rice and that no more than 17,000 tareas have been flooded.
He added that the water levels have subsided and the majority of the rice crop has been harvested. The minister argued that in order for 700,000 tareas to be flooded the country itself would have to be flooded.
The minister was interviewed by reporters from the nation’s newspapers including the Diario Libre and El Nacional as he took part in the Fruit Day celebrations being held throughout the country.
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MetroRD
4 May 2017
