The president of the Federation of Merchants (Fenameco), Roberto Ventura, accuses the Minister of Agriculture Angel Estevez of granting import permits to monopolies. He said the merchants may decide to picket the Presidential Palace in protest, as reported in MetroRD.
He said he is speaking out about the Estevez’s alleged practice to highlight to the public why products that are arriving to the nation’s markets are so expensive. Ventura said the high prices are a result of policies coming from the Ministry of Agriculture work against the poor.
“We are denouncing that Agriculture Minister Ángel Estevez is authorizing the granting of import permits to monopolies that are hoarding products against the interests of consumers and affecting more than 10,000 warehouses, stores and supermarkets nationwide.
He observed a pound of beans now costs between RD$55 and RD$60. Ventura said that when members of his small merchant association were authorized to import products, a pound of beans sold for RD$35 to RD$40. He accused the monopolies of hoarding the products. He said many small stores have had to buy the goods from the black market.
Ventura said Fenameco has requested meetings with government authorities and has sent numerous emails to agencies and has yet to hear back from any government official. “Consumer’s money is not being stretched because of bad government policies,” he said calling for President Danilo Medina to intervene. Ventura complained that there is unfair competition and permits that should be going to them to sell beans in Gualey, Manoguayabo, and Ensanche Altagracia are being granted to others.
In an earlier visit to Acento news portal, Ventura and Fenameco official Julio Cesar Lopez called for the government to follow the rules for assigning farm imports under the DR-CAFTA trade agreement. “We are requesting President Danilo Medina investigate the Office for Trade and Farm Agreement (OTCA) and prevent large companies form controlling the importation of DR-CAFTA products, Ventura told Acento.
Read more in Spanish:
MetroRD
Acento
12 May 2017
