San Juan.- The president Louis Abinader This Sunday began the agricultural diversification of San Juan with the delivery of RD$687 million for various projects and created a commission to acquire the debt of small and medium producers with informal lenders.
These actions seek to expand and diversify the productive and economic matrix of the southern region, as well as to channel technical support to economic development enterprises and initiatives.
The financing was also delivered for the restructuring of the debt of the producers through the purchase of the portfolio from the creditors of the formal and informal banks, of the debts that have kept the producers in a credit scheme that prevents them from prospering. economically.
In addition, for the development of agricultural, poultry, beekeeping, fish farming, sheep-goat, eggplant export, confectionery and bakery projects, whose impact will be reflected directly and indirectly for some 36,000 people.
The president also announced that work is being done on the construction of the El Granero del Sur Domestic Airport, to fumigate agricultural plantations, the first stage of which is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2023, which will include a runway, general aviation terminals and agricultural, as well as a barracks for the Air Force of the Dominican Republic.
He also announced that a Higher Institute of Agriculture will be installed in Bohechio for the training and academic preparation of young people in the region.
By leading a meeting of the Council for the Development of the San Juan Plan with 500 Producers and the Signatures of agreements between the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and MiPYMES (MICM), the Ministry of Agriculture, Banco Agrícola and PepsiCo; and between the ISA University and the Hydroelectric Generation Company (EGEHID), the governor assured that these actions will bring more social and economic development and opportunities for the people of San Juan.
You can read: Construction of the domestic airport “El Granero del Sur” will begin in 2023
During the act, held in the Auditorium of the Western Regional University Center of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), Abinader affirmed that this Government is addressing the most critical aspects of poverty and that in this province to date 3,748 dirt floors for cement floors, in addition to an intervention of more than 1,000 vulnerable homes.
Likewise, he highlighted that chicken farms, sheep and goat production and other areas in the agricultural sector that have a higher added value, such as beans and tobacco, have been financed, and work is being done to improve drinking water.
He recalled that due to the conditions in the province it was declared a state of emergency, but that does not imply throwing money away, but investing it in the correct way so that San Juan begins to really change with the application of the correct public policies.
“But to break this vicious circle we have to create jobs, improve our infrastructures but also train our people,” he insisted.
The agreement between the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs, Banco Agrícola and PepsiCo, seeks to double the national production of potatoes for the period 2022-2025.
Meanwhile, the agreement between the Dominican Hydroelectric Generation Company (EGEHID) and the ISA University, aims to establish a campus for this study center in Bohechío, which will allow the academic preparation in agricultural matters of young people in this southern region.
Doubling Potato Production in San Juan
Meanwhile, the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Mipymes, Víctor Bisonó, said that this agreement will lay the foundations for doubling the local production of potatoes from the allied company PepsiCo.
He stressed that being PepsiCo and its products globally renowned brands, they have chosen the Dominican Republic to plant and harvest their potatoes, pack and distribute to other markets, turning it into a product Made in the DR.
“They identified Constanza and San Juan to start with the potatoes. In 2021 they only harvested 320 tons here, in 2022 they harvested 1,350 in harvest only in San Juan for 2025 they have stipulated 3,000 tons », he reported.
For his part, the Minister of Agriculture, Limber Cruz, explained that this initiative aims to continue promoting the province and the economic development plan of San Juan and contemplates the restructuring of the debt of producers to informal banking and promotes agriculture of contract that will allow the producer to plan his sowings and to know costs and sale prices in advance.
