The producers of potatoes and onions are disappointed with the results of the meeting they held on Monday August 29 with a Commission from the Government because, apart from a breach of agreements, there are no clear measures that would allow them to defend themselves.
The president of the Association of the Producers' Community from the Highlands, Augusto Jimenez, said that, after a lengthy meeting in Cerro Punta, they had only signed a sales commitment of onions and potatoes at a low cost per quintal, which would be subject to the endorsement of the Comptroller and that would also depend on whether or not they managed to sell the products in the market.
Jimenez said that, under this agreement, they would sell 20,000 pounds of potatoes at $32 dollars per quintal and 10,000 quintals of onion at $32.50 dollars per quintal. "These prices do not cover production costs," he said.
According to the official, the negotiators did not honor the promise made by the Minister of Agricultural Development, Ernesto Carles, who had told them that they would buy their production of potatoes and onions to sell at the fairs of the Agricultural Marketing Institute (IMA).
"This does not solve the overproduction of potatoes and onions issue. It is a palliative, a desperate measure for producers as they don't know where to place the overproduction. The market was saturated by imports of these two items in the harvest period," said Jimenez.
Marcos Mastelari, IMA adviser, reiterated that this was the proposal producers were offered and that it would help them to market their product.
Source: laprensa.com.ni