In the Dominican Republic, goat meat is highly prized and in demand. However, production has been flat or even decreasing over the past few decades.
During his trip to the Deep South this past weekend, President Luis Abinader announced a renewed program through the auspices of the governmental Agriculture Bank (Bagricola) that will push for increased production of the two species.
The program seeks to push production to 5.5 million pounds of meat a year.
Goat meat is a very traditional plate in Dominican cuisine and is certainly a favorite with many tourists. President Abinader urged farmers to participate in the program and even hinted at the possibilities of exporting the product.
Some ten provinces have been singled out as the ideal recipients of some of the RD$350 million dedicated to the program. The incentive financing carries a 5% interest rate with a 12-month grace period, and quarterly payments. Training classes and seminars on raising these animals are already underway.
Farmers in Azua, San Juan de la Maguana, Bahoruco Elias Piña, Independencia, Pedernales in the Deep South and Valverde, Santiago Rodriguez, Montecristi and Dajabon in the Northwest are the target areas.
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Diario Libre
7 February 2022