Santo Doming.- The Front Amplio expressed its rejection of the repeal of Decree 693-24, by Decree 635-26, in considering that the elimination of the tariff regime established for imports of rice places domestic production and thousands of Dominican producers in a scenario of greater vulnerability to external competition.
The organization recalled that it had given the Government timely notice of the consequences of the removal of the protection measures applied to rice, an essential product for the food of the Dominican population and for the stability of a broad production chain that generates jobs and income in many provinces of the country.
“Decree 693-24 did not arise in isolation, but was preceded by a recommendation of the National Council for Food and Nutritional Sovereignty and Security (CONASSAN), based on the need to protect rice production and to guarantee national supply. This food security dimension should have been maintained as a central element of public policy,” said María Teresa Cabrera, President of the Political Organization.
It also expressed concern that the derogation took place in a context in which the United States had requested the Dominican Government to rescind tariff measures.
For the Broad Front, any international trade commitment must also be assessed from the perspective of the impact it may have on domestic producers, rural employment and the country's ability to guarantee essential food.
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“We note that abruptly opening up the rice market could put our producers at a disadvantage. Today, in the light of the repeal of the decree, we reiterate our concern and call on the Government to explain what concrete measures it will take to prevent the opening of the country from weakening national production,” said María Teresa Cabrera.
The organization insisted that reducing or eliminating tariffs does not automatically guarantee a proportional reduction in the price paid by the consumer. The final price also depends on factors such as international prices, transport, insurance, exchange rate, port costs, processing, distribution and marketing margins.
The Front Abroad held that defending rice production does not mean ignoring the country's trade commitments or opposing the modernization of the sector, on the contrary, it stated that the Dominican Republic needs a comprehensive policy that allows producers to compete through higher yields, mechanization, research, new varieties, cost reduction, financing, irrigation infrastructure, storage, technology and technical assistance.
“What is at stake is not just the price of a pound of rice. The Dominican Republic's ability to produce its own food, preserve thousands of rural jobs and maintain a strategic production chain is at stake. Food security must be considered a matter of national sovereignty,” Cabrera said.
For the Broad Front, the repeal of the decree only shows what it considers to be an attitude of excessive subordination of the Dominican Government to the pressures of the United States, particularly when they can be in tension with the protection of strategic sectors of the national economy.
