The executive director of the National Institute for the Protection of Consumer Rights (Pro Consumer), Eddy Alcántara, announced that as of today that institution will take “concrete actions” to avoid agiotismo and commercial speculation with the chicken meatwhich, he said, is generating uncertainty in consumers.
Alcántara announced that “in the face of the unjustified fluctuation” that has been taking place in the price of a pound of chicken, he will recommend to the President of the Republic, Luis Abinader, measures that will help to face this scourge to honestize the price of white meat.
The official maintained that with this product in great demand in the Dominican population, it has been detected, after an exhaustive investigation by the Department of Advertising and Prices and Inspection and Surveillance, of this institution, that there is greed on the part of some sectors that have been incurring in the figure of commercial speculation.
He said that this situation, which is detrimental to consumers, is affecting the fluctuation of the chicken meat.
He pointed out that after verifying that the aforementioned practice is being incurred, the inspectors of Pro ConsumerAs of today, they begin the process of permanent market surveillance throughout the national territory.
It guaranteed consumers concrete actions against the aforementioned fundamental product in the country’s basic food basket to definitively end the uncertainty that the fluctuation of the aforementioned food has generated in recent weeks.
“What we are looking for is a significant reduction in the price of white meat,” he added.
The official explained that this fluctuation that has been taking place in recent months in the price of chicken “has no justification”, taking into account that the government of President Abinader has intervened with permanent subsidies “and the last one was 700 million pesos” .
He said that to this is added that wheat and other raw materials used for raising chicken in the country have decreased in their prices in the international market in the last four weeks.
He also indicated that there is stability in the price of the US dollar, “and its trend has been downward.”
He affirmed that in the event that this practice continues in the commercialization of chicken, “Pro Consumer will act in accordance with what is established by its regulations and other sectoral laws in order to defend the interests of consumers in the Dominican Republic”.
He stated that, despite the fact that chicken currently ranges between 74 and 83 pesos per pound in the markets, warehouses, colmados and supermarkets, he understands that the real price must be marketed well below that cost to the final consumer.
