Dominican Republic: The government buys all the potato production in Tireo

Starting next Monday, the government will implement a plan to purchase all the potatoes grown in the community of Tireo, located in Constanza. This measure is part of an agreement established with farmers’ associations in the region.

The announcement was made by the Minister of Agriculture, Francisco Oliverio Espaillat Bencosme, after holding several meetings with producers, who have faced difficulties in finding markets to sell their crops.

The plan’s main objective is to alleviate the economic crisis affecting hundreds of families who depend on potato farming and are in a vulnerable situation. According to the minister, this effort seeks to guarantee stable incomes and improve the quality of life in farming communities.

The program, which will initially focus on potato production, could expand to other crops. The minister indicated that they are prepared to evaluate similar measures for different agricultural sectors if circumstances warrant it.

Espaillat Bencosme also announced the government’s decision to increase the budget allocated to fertilizer subsidies, given the imminent shortage of current funds. This adjustment aims to protect farmers from the volatility of international markets and mitigate the detrimental effects on their production activities.

The Agriculture Minister emphasized that the ultimate goal is to promote more sustainable and profitable production. The intention is to allow farmers to retain a larger portion of their profits instead of allocating them exclusively to production costs.

With this state intervention, the authorities hope to provide significant and immediate relief to agricultural producers in the Constanza and Tireo Valley, strengthening the local economy and supporting the region’s agricultural sector.