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The Minister of Agriculture, Francisco Oliverio Espaillat, declared the strengthening of agricultural production in the La Cruz de Manzanillo Project a high priority, announcing that this important agricultural zone will have the permanent support of the Ministry of Agriculture through technical assistance, accompaniment for producers, and actions aimed at increasing productivity and making the most of its enormous potential.
n” “nDuring an extensive supervision tour of the La Cruz de Manzanillo and Bajo Yaque del Norte projects, the official evaluated the production areas, inspected the irrigation system, reviewed the new areas prepared for planting, and held meetings with rice and banana producers to listen to their proposals and define a joint work agenda.
n” “n“The Manzanillo Cross is a priority for President Luis Abinader’s government. There is enormous productive potential here, and we are going to guarantee all the necessary technical assistance so that this project reaches the production levels the country expects,” the minister stated.
n” “nOne of the most relevant aspects of the visit was the evaluation of the project’s irrigation system, an infrastructure that supplies 32,400 agricultural tasks, allowing for the development of one of the areas with the greatest productive expansion capacity in the country.
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According to the report presented by the general administrator of the La Cruz de Manzanillo Project, Julio César Estévez Guzmán, during the month of June, 310 new “tareas” of bananas, plantains, bitter cassava, sweet cassava, and sweet corn were planted as part of the crop expansion program promoted by the Ministry.
n” “nCurrently, the project records 6,818.28 tareas in production, distributed into 2,875 tareas of plantain; 2,367 of banana; 1,200 of rice; 251 of sweet cassava; 50 of corn; 40 of bitter cassava and 35.28 of sweet potato, reflecting significant agricultural dynamism in the area.
Added to these figures are 450 “tareas” cleared, 560 “tareas” in the preparation process, and 120 “tareas” in new plantings, bringing the total to 7,948.28 “tareas” intervened through the productive recovery and expansion program executed by the Ministry of Agriculture.
The authorities also reported that the project maintains the production of sweet corn, bananas, plantains, and cassava, while advancing in the incorporation of new high-commercial-value crops such as chili peppers, melon, sweet lime, and watermelon, with the purpose of diversifying production, strengthening producer profitability, and expanding the national agricultural supply.
n” “nDuring the tour, the minister inspected banana plantations, land being prepared for new planting, and the water distribution center fed by the Yaque del Norte River, vital infrastructure that guarantees the supply of water resources for thousands of cultivated acres.
n” “nThe Vice Minister of Production, Juan Antonio Gómez, reported that rehabilitation work on rural roads is being carried out in parallel in coordination with the Ministry of Public Works, with the aim of improving access to production areas, facilitating the transport of harvests, and increasing the sector’s competitiveness.
n” “nThe day concluded with a visit to the Bajo Yaque del Norte Project workshop and a working meeting with rice and banana producers, who presented their main concerns and agreed with the authorities on the need to continue strengthening productive infrastructure, irrigation, mechanization, and technical assistance to consolidate the sector’s growth.
n” “nThe activity was attended by the administrator of the La Cruz de Manzanillo Project, Julio César Estévez; the financial manager, Anabel Sánchez; the operations manager, Rafael Guzmán; the Vice Minister of Production, Juan Antonio Gómez; the regional director of Agriculture; the director of Bioarroz, Cristino Durán, and the engineer Alfonso Antonio Rodríguez Toribio.
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