The Dominican government has announced that it has re-launched the Programa de Ventas Populares that sells low cost food staples at the Comedores Económicos, the state-subsidized cafeterias in 10 provinces in the south and southwest.
The program would benefit 200,000 people in the area. Program director general, Nicolás Calderón, said that the Program will operate every 15 days for a three-month time period at an investment of around RD$450 million.
Bags of food that would normally retail for RD$870 will be sold for RD$300. Each bag contains five pounds of rice, two pounds of beans, a 16-ounce bottle of oil, cornmeal, oatmeal, 8-ounce tomato sauce, two cans of sardines, two pounds of brown sugar, chocolate, garlic paste, seasoning powder, spaghetti and cassava. In addition, a family can purchase a chicken for RD$100.
On the first day, the bags were sold in several communities in the provinces of San Cristóbal, Peravia (Bani), San José de Ocoa, Azua and San Juan de la Maguana.
Next Saturday, 22 July 2017, the bags will be offered in the area of Enriquillo, including the provinces of Barahona, Pedernales, Bahoruco, Elías Piña and Independencia in the southwest near the border with Haiti.
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El Caribe
18 July 2017
