Santo Domingo. – The Agriculture Ministry reached an agreement with producers via which the price of rice will not increase this year, although the drought may affect the second 2010 harvest.

Angel Hernandez, president of the Northeast rice farmers grouped in APRANO, said sector representatives, irrigation boards and Agriculture minister Salvador Jiménez signed the agreement, which stipulates that120 kilos will cost between RD$1,950 and $2,100 to produce, keeping the price of rice unchanged for consumers.

He said the country’s producers are committed to guaranteeing the Dominican population a low price for rice. “This rice sector continues being an important entity for the country’s economy and in this time of world crisis we’ve shown as in previous years more compliance with our role of being self-sufficient in national production, as we did when there were fears from the world’s food crisis.”

Hernandez however warned that if the drought affecting the country continues, the year’s second harvest may see affected, since water is vital to plant seedlings.