Iván García specified that the commerce sector, in order to continue its development next year, has the challenges of interest rates, the cost of energy and the modification of the Labor Code
The president of the Dominican Federation of Merchants (FDC), Iván Garcíaassured yesterday that the trade is fully supplied with products and with affordable prices, so that the population celebrates the days of Christmas and New Year.
At a press conference, the commercial leader said that there is enough pork, chicken, rice, onion, potatoes, fruits and other products that are in demand these days of the end of the year.
“Fresh chicken will be sold between RD$58.00 and RD$69.00 a pound, imported pork leg will be at RD$85.00 and RD$115.00 for Creole,” he explained.
He said the Dominican Association of Poultry Farmers It has 25 million units of chickens available for sale this month, which will guarantee an oversupply during December.
He said that rice, which has maintained a stable price for two years, the factories and producers have inventories of 7.2 million quintals.
“At the wholesale level we are offering garlic for RD$90.00, beans for RD$36.00 and onions for RD$40.00. With these prices we understand that the entire town will benefit from the competition that exists between the associates. Pork producers and importers have enough inventory on farms and warehouses to meet the demand for the period,” said García.
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He insisted that the trade sector guarantees the population fair prices and abundant products.
Challenges 2023
When speaking about the prospects for the sector for next year, García said that for trade to continue developing in 2023, it is necessary to reduce the interest rate, lower the cost of electricity, and modify the Code of Work, due to labor costs.
He added that merchants are the ones who borrow the most from banks, so it is necessary that there be a reduction in the interest rate.
“We merchants take 32 percent of all the money that is lent in the Dominican Republic,” said García.
Regarding electricity, he said that the price is too high, which has caused an increase in the cost of operating businesses.
“It is necessary that there be a modification of the labor code, because we are one of the countries with the highest costs in Latin America,” said García.
He said that in the DR it has a labor cost of 60.5%, which means that the employee costs more than the salary he earns.
