The Government, the European Union (EU) and domestic producers from the province of Valverde signed a cooperation agreement that involves a one billion pesos investment to increase the competitiveness and productivity of the banana sector of the Dominican Republic.
The agreement will benefit more than 20,000 farmers in Azua and the Northwest. The minister of agriculture, Angel Estevez, said the agreement is part of the Banana Sector Accompaniment Programme (BAM), which seeks to increase the positioning of the Dominican banana industry, one of the country's most exported crops, and the axes of the national economy.
"The Ministry of Agriculture seeks to improve banana production across the country and the signing of this agreement will bring more support to domestic producers. We will strengthen production methods and be more efficient, leaving behind traditional methods," said the minister of agriculture Angel Estevez. In addition to increasing productivity and competitiveness, the agreement seeks to enhance the environmental sustainability of banana production, improve the organization of the sector, facilitate access to financing for producers, and strengthen labour relations between workers and producers.
Elso Jaquez, president of Adobanano, said the agreement was going to aid producers, since through the programs to be implemented will improve the farmers' conditions. After highlighting the scope of the program, Osmar Benitez, from the JAD, said that it had the financial security of the European Union and that there would be offices in all producing areas nationwide, with agencies in Mao, Azua and Santo Domingo. There will also be five laboratories in the country, which will ensure plant health.
Elso said they had already certified 1,500 farms throughout the country, 60% of which had been georeferenced through the Office of the National Register. The four cornerstones of the program are to increase productivity from 1.8 to 2.5 cases per week, increase national exports by 10 percent, reduce the use of chemicals by 50 percent, and increased labour by 20 percent. The banana industry provides over 20,000 direct and indirect jobs, and exports for about 150 million dollars, which mobilize the productive economy of the Northwest Line and the Azua Valley.
Source: entornointeligente.com