SANTO DOMINGO. - Agriculture Minister Luis Ramon Rodriguez Wednesday said consumers and merchants shouldn’t worry about higher bananas and plantain prices, since the tropical storm affected only 13 percent of the plantations.

He also announced that president Danilo Medina is already instructed the disbursement of a special RD$200.0 million fund to pay the costs to mitigate the damages and avert price hikes.

 He said the funds start to be disbursed next week, and affirmed that the Agro Loan Bank would refinance all debt to farmers affected by Isaac. “Right now crews are working in the South, in the part where banana plantations that were affected."

Interviewed in the National Palace, the official said crews also work to tally the damage, especially in the South region’s banana and plantain tracts, where he affirms around 7,800 hectares sustained damages, affecting 13 percent of the country’s production.

“Production wasn’t affected in the triangle area formed by Moca, Santiago and La Vega or other areas such as Azua weren’t affected either,” Rodriguez said.