The Dominican Coalition for Fair Competition (Codocom) noted that the proposal to import the cookies with a extraordinary tariff of up to 87.1% as a safeguard for local production comes from local manufacturers which are also the largest importers of the product under preferential conditions.
The measure, currently under evaluation by the Trade Defense Commission (CDC) was proposed by Modern Mills and Valley Mills of Cibao.
Jennifer Troncosoexecutive director of the National Organization of Commercial Companies (ONEC) and spokesperson for Codocomexplained that one of these companies imports from Guatemalaa country within the Free Trade Agreement between the United States, Central America and the Dominican Republic (DR-Cafta).
“All these cookies sold in Dominican supermarkets have their health registration”Executive Director of the National Organization of Commercial Companies (ONEC)
“How are they main importerWhat they are looking for is that there is a biggest economic difference regarding the import that is made from other countries, in order to have a monopoly; be the only ones who can have the ability to import,” he said.
Quality is not in question, competition is
He specified that the CDC evaluation this competitiveness criterianot evaluating competition criteria, not criteria associated with the quality of the products.
“All these cookies that are sold in Dominican supermarkets they have their health record“he indicated.
He added that all these products must have a certificate that the manufacturing company meets minimum quality requirements, without which the General Directorate of Medicines, Food and Health Products (Digemaps) does not authorize your marketing in the local market.
He warned that, if the tariff is applied to the import of cookies from other countries, there is a risk that the price of the product will increase and the acquisition by the companies will be affected. dominican families that consume them massively.
