The executive director of National Institute for the Protection of Consumer Rights (Pro Consumer), doctor Eddy Alcántara, announced that as of today that institution will take “concrete actions” to avoid agiotismo and commercial speculation with chicken meat, which he said is generating uncertainty in consumers.
Alcántara announced that given 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 chicken meat.
He pointed out that as of verifying that the aforementioned practice is being incurred, the inspectors of Pro Consumidor, as of today, begin the process of permanent market surveillance throughout the national territory.
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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.
“LWhat we are looking for is for there to be a significant reduction in the price of white meat,” he added.
The official explained that the 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 stated that in the event that this practice continues in the commercialization of chicken, “Pro Consumidor will act in accordance with what is established in its regulations and other sectoral laws in an attempt to defend the interests of consumers in the Dominican Republic.”
Alcántara also warned that in his administration he will not allow regulations to be fragmented and “improper actions” to be carried out in an attempt to obtain greater profits to the detriment of consumers, “who have demanded immediate intervention to control this fluctuation in chicken meat.” ”.
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“We have verified the behavior of the prices of wheat in the international market and of other raw materials used for chicken production, the recurrent government subsidy to generate flexibility in the cost of production, as well as the stability of the North American currency. , which after the aforementioned investigation carried out by Pro Consumidor, it has been possible to verify that there are actions by sectors that intentionally seek to destabilize the white meat market throughout the country,” said the official.
He insisted that after an exhaustive investigation of the Department of Advertising and Price, and of Inspection and Surveillance, of the institution, it was possible to verify that there is a management in order to maintain a fluctuation of white meat, generating uncertainty in consumers.
Finally, the head of Pro Consumidor stated that despite the fact that chicken currently fluctuates in markets, warehouses, grocery stores and supermarkets between RD$74.00 and RD$83.00 per poundunderstands that the real price must be marketed well below that cost to the final consumer.
