The sale of 67% of the shares of the Dominican branch of Parmalat, the Italian food giant that went bankrupt last year, will have a positive impact on Dominican farmers and ranchers, as well as the dairy industry in general. The Milk Producers’ Association and the Farmers’ and Ranchers’ Association have issued a joint press release that emphasizes the re-capitalization of the local company and an aggressive participation in the milk and juice market. Tano Acebal and Cesareo Contreras, the spokesmen for the associations, told El Caribe reporter Mercedes Gonzalez that none of the state-owned property has been affected by the sale of the Italian shares. They pointed out that just recently the head of the Price Stabilization Institute (INESPRE), Jose Francisco Pena Guaba, suggested that the state sell its participation in Parmalat. The state won the grounds and one of the original buildings. The associations own 33% of the shares and, according to sources, the local investors are the Vicini, Leon Jimenes, Bonetti and Villanueva families. On 30 September there will be an assembly to choose the new board of directors. Parmalat acquires between 15% and 20% of the milk produced in the Dominican Republic, and purchases around 100,000 liters a day. The remaining milk is purchased by companies such as Leche Rica, the leader in the market, Ladom and Celia, as well as the cheese, yogurt, and ice cream industries. Each day there are 900,000 liters of milk produced in the DR and each year 32,000 tons of milk powder is imported.