Santo Domingo.- Dominican Republic’s farmers and hoteliers on Tuesday adopted a strategy to supply with local products the beverage and food demand of the tourism industry’s more than, whose yearly earnings top RD$10 billion.

To identify products of highest demand and diversify production is at the core of an agreement the National Hotels and Restaurants Association (Asonahores) and the Dominican Agribusiness Board (JAD) signed today.

 Asonahores vice president Arturo Villanueva and JAD Osmar Benítez director said the agreement stems from the third Farm and Agribusiness Product Consumption Survey, conducted by the hoteliers.

They said the poll aims to promote the consumption of Dominican products by Asonahores members, to guarantee the safety levels of the supply and the satisfaction in the demand.

Benítez stressed that once producers are aware of the tourism industry’s demands they orient their supply in that direction, noting goat meat as an example which he said is being imported since the hotels demand around 100 million pounds yearly, though the country can provide given the favorable climate and other factors.

Villanueva said the survey helps local producers to be more competitive in price and quality and the currencies tourism generates won’t have to be spent on imports, which contributes to spur the economy.