Saint John. –The Agricultural Bank of the Dominican Republic (Bagrícola) will provide financial support and technical assistance to the associations of small tobacco producers in this demarcation that are preparing to plant, in November of this year, some 5,000 tasks of that product.
Measures to further expand tobacco production in the area include low-interest loans, hiring technicians to advise growers, building tobacco curing houses and installing drip irrigation systems.
The Bagrícola administrator, Fernando Durán, offered the information during a meeting with producers of that sector grouped in the Agricultural Cooperative of
Multiple Unitaria Services (Coopetur), the Tobacco Producers Cooperative of Las Matas de Farfán (Coopartan) and the Tobacco Producers Association of Las Matas.
He said that these producers will benefit from sales contracts for their crops with tobacco processors and manufacturers from the country and abroad.
Tobacco producers listen attentively to the administrator of Bagrícola, Fernando Durán
The state official informed farmers of President Luis Abinader’s interest in the successful planting, harvesting and industrialization of tobacco in San Juan.
“We are promoting the tobacco industry in this region, because it is a crop capable of generating jobs, wealth and foreign currency through exports to foreign markets,” said Durán.
Jhosel Roa, president of Coopetu, said that “Bagricola has promised to help us sow again and we, the producers, are willing to begin this sowing in a satisfactory manner.”
The state official traveled accompanied by the directors of Credit and Planning and Strategy of Bagícola, Eduardo Báez and Hipólito Bazil.
The meeting was attended by the Governor of San Juan, Ana María Castillo Mateo; the Director of the Economic and Social Development Plan of San Juan, Luis Bonilla; the Director of the Tobacco Institute, Rafael Antonio Almonte; and the Manager of Bagrícola in San Juan, Mélida Matos.
