On Sunday 3 November, President Danilo Medina approved a loan of RD$15 million for coffee producers in Blanco in the central province of Monsenor Nouel (Bonao) and yautia (taro) farmers in Sabana Piedra, Villa Altagracia.
In Blanco, Medina met with members of the Independencia Coffee Growers Association (ASOCAIN), whose president, Luis Henriquez Nunez, told him that they needed RD$10 million to buy a machine to roast, grind and pack the coffee, to improve quality so that they could export to the United States and contact potential European buyers, and for fumigation.
The producers also said that they planned to plant 14 million more coffee trees over 10 years. The President said that the government would begin to import a new variety known as Costa Rica 95 that is resistant to roya and other diseases.
Medina said the government would help with fumigation and replacement of the existing plants via the Dominican Coffee Commission (Codocafe), with a special committee to eradicate roya with a budget of RD$154 million.
From Blanco, President Medina traveled on to Sabana Piedra, Villa Altagracia, where he met with yautia growers and approved a loan of RD$5 million.
www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2013/11/3/298187/El-presidente-Danilo-Medina-escucha-a-comunitarios-de-Bonao
http://presidencia.gob.do/comunicados/financiamiento-productores-de-caf%C3%A9-monse%C3%B1or-nouel-y-yaut%C3%ADa-villa-altagracia