Several business organizations have rejected the protectionist measures in the process of being implemented by the Dominican government to protect local producers of milk and sugar. The Unión de Dueños de Panaderías Asociados, the Federación Dominicana de Comerciantes, the Asociación de Importadores de Leche en Lata, Asociación Nacional de Fabricantes de Dulces y Afines, Frente Nacional de Defensa al Consumidor, Asociación de Fabricantes de Helados, Asociación de Industrias Farmcéuticas Dominicana, and the Asociación de Embotelladores de Bebidas Gaseosas protested against the 100%+ quota tariffs the government wants to impose, supposedly to support the crumbling state sugar industry, two private producers and local milk distributors.
The organizations say the imposing of quotas is against free commerce, indicating that this measure just brings about speculation, and large profits for very few companies in detriment to the consumer and many more local companies that use milk and sugar as raw materials.