El economista Henri Hebrard comentó que el acuerdo de paz entre Ucrania y Rusia beneficiará a República Dominicana, aunque aún no se haya difundido ampliamente la información. Agregó que los precios del petróleo seguirán bajando y que lo que falta es que los derivados, como la gasolina y el gasoil, reduzcan su costo en la misma proporción.
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00:00Good morning ladies and gentlemen, Friday arrived, the end of the working week, we were in the middle of the month, March in the middle, we were moving forward, and nothing, a lot of news, a lot of news, the girl disappeared on the coasts of the eastern region of the country,
00:27she has been searched for heaven, earth and sea, but she does not appear alive or dead.
00:32One week.
00:33One week, and the news is still going on, both at the country level and in the United States, where the media have echoed this information.
00:45It is a girl, barely 20 years old, a university student, born in India, raised in India, and in the United States, a part of the time, has studied and has acquired an American nationality.
01:03That is why there is a mobilization of security agencies, and the media are echoing this situation.
01:11Yesterday it was reported that the parents who were here, of that girl, left.
01:15They had to return.
01:16They returned, but the incessant search of her continues, in any circumstance.
01:25There is a boy who is ...
01:29American too?
01:31American too, well, what is established, that is, they met at the hotel.
01:36They met at the hotel.
01:37Okay, with precision, because, well, apparently they fell in love.
01:43You can see them going out, hugging, to the beach, and they were left alone on the beach.
01:48That is the most recent version there is.
01:50From then on, it is not known what happened, because the versions have not been confirmed.
01:56We have to see what happens.
01:58But that is one of the topics that are on the agenda.
02:01Another topic, we are just going to announce the topics, because today is an interview day.
02:06It has to do with the social security cabinet, the social assistance of the government, basically.
02:18Here we talk about a cabinet, but that cabinet does not work.
02:21Coordination of social policies.
02:24And now, after a piece of news, it seems that they were working on it quietly,
02:29that the government intends, by decree, to merge some of the organizations that work on social policies
02:38and put in front of a new organization, Gloria Reyes.
02:42Gloria Reyes and the president, the coordinator of the cabinet, have had significant differences.
02:52Peña Guava.
02:53Peña Guava. Peña Guava is accused of being very impositive and of having centralized everything in his hands.
02:59Gloria is pointed out as a woman of extreme confidence to President Luis Abinadé.
03:04And with the ability to articulate.
03:06She has been silenced.
03:08A large part of the criticisms that have been made to her have been attributed to her.
03:13Her origin is also attributed to the fact that she has left the government.
03:23Well, it seems that she will be backstabbed if it is true that a new organization is going to be created,
03:32which will no longer be a cabinet or a ministry, but a general management.
03:36A general management, but with more structure.
03:39Well, we have that. We have the visit of President Pedro Brandt yesterday.
03:44I like these meetings, as I liked the surprise visits, which were not so surprising, right?
03:51There was a whole apparatus.
03:53I liked that a humanitarian, in a gesture of humility, gets together with the people.
03:59In the villages there are many organizations that represent the interests of the community.
04:03And to listen to them, because they with a phone call is not enough, because they are received by a missionary.
04:09Not the president, no.
04:11A general director.
04:13It is difficult to meet with the communities.
04:15A minister, it is difficult to meet.
04:17Well, let a president of the republic do it.
04:20What do you think?
04:22Very good, and it is also an extreme opportunity that the needs of the community, as you point out,
04:28become evocative.
04:30There are many times when it is accused that the leaders of the different areas,
04:33when this visit occurs, try to co-act,
04:36and look for the community leaders who are more in tune with their party.
04:41But the truth is that there are always those who do not grab that and let it go.
04:47They take advantage of the conditions.
04:49And they also leave evidence to all that political class,
04:52which at some point has already knocked on the door and has not paid attention.
04:55It seems very interesting to me that these meetings are held,
04:58that the social director is not excluded.
05:00The government has enough mechanisms to know who represents or not the neighborhood groups
05:08that exist, the legitimate organizations of the community.
05:13And well, of course, the list of demands that the community has is very long.
05:20And Pedro Brando is the exception of the rule.
05:23And Pedro Brando has people, gentlemen.
05:25Yes, he has enough already.
05:27He has enough because urbanizations have been created.
05:29Yes, yes, yes, yes.
05:30Pedro Brando, the 28th, calls the people from around there,
05:35because he is in kilometer 28, the capital of the municipality, of the municipal district.
05:39Well, and finally, gentlemen and ladies,
05:44about Haiti,
05:45No one has to write to you.
05:47No, no, no, the possibility is getting further and further away.
05:49You mention the international cables,
05:51unless things like yesterday happen,
05:54when they attacked a medium, the most important media of communication,
05:58of Puerto Princeso, the Havana.
06:01The Havana.
06:02The Havana.
06:03The Havana defies everyone, they walk around,
06:05they make press conferences, of everything.
06:08And the police, thank goodness, because they do not have the capacity to intervene.
06:13And the international force that is there,
06:17is very weak, very weak, it lacks personnel.
06:21And a pity, because at a certain moment,
06:23it gave an important reminiscence to the Mata.
06:25Well, the airport was recovered.
06:29Joking there, not much has happened.
06:33Ladies and gentlemen, we are going to pause.
06:36When we return, we are going to talk to Henry Ebrard, who is an economist.
06:43Dominican.
06:45Then we are going to have Isidoro de las Rosas,
06:47the president of the Dominican Confederation of Cacao Cultors.
06:51And finally, Leonardo Mercedes,
06:53who will be here to talk a little bit about the Montegrale dam in Barahona.
06:58A Friday with a lot of information and a taste for Monday.
07:01So, come, come.
07:03Well, stay with us, we'll be back in a minute.
07:06Well, we'll be back here.
07:08Yes, thank you ladies and gentlemen for keeping in tune.
07:11We are going to talk here with an economist, Henry Ebrard,
07:15who is always up to date on national and international issues.
07:21I would like to start with the latest, international.
07:24Yes.
07:25The panorama is a bit complicated and confusing, right?
07:29From the United States we receive very confusing signals.
07:35Yes.
07:36This week...
07:37But signals, in the end.
07:38Signals.
07:39Signals.
07:40This week, the stock markets fell in an almost unexpected way.
07:47And this made many economists talk about possible recessions in the United States.
07:53How about this and what impact does it have here?
07:57First, thank you very much for the invitation.
08:00Yesterday, a veteran of the programs told me that whoever goes one plus one,
08:04whoever gets up early one plus one, God helps him.
08:07Thank you for the help.
08:09And we need divine help to decipher so many signals,
08:15so confusing that we have at the international level.
08:19There are good ones, there are bad ones.
08:22I think that among the good ones, it seems that the peace process in Ukraine
08:27is going in one direction.
08:29Regardless of how it ends,
08:31obviously sacrifices the poor Ukrainians will have to make,
08:35if they achieve peace that is good for them.
08:37That should help and would benefit the Dominican Republic a lot.
08:41There is still not much talk about that because it is still not realized.
08:46And how would it benefit the Dominican Republic a lot?
08:49First, it would give a definitive tranquility on two issues.
08:53Oil prices will continue to fall.
08:57They have already fallen.
08:59Remember that when Donald Trump was elected,
09:02we had the maximum between the election and the proclamation.
09:07Oil had risen, it had exceeded 80 dollars.
09:10It had risen from 70 to 80.
09:12And now it is well below 70.
09:14It is well below 70.
09:16And it is possible...
09:17Well, no, it is almost the same.
09:1969.
09:20Look, this morning, early in the morning, 67, which is fine.
09:26What is missing now is that the oil derivatives,
09:30gasoline and gasoil,
09:32go down.
09:33go down in the same proportion, which has not happened.
09:36In other words, the price differential,
09:38clearly what counts for the Dominican Republic,
09:40because it is important to remember that of the 72 million barrels
09:45per year we consume,
09:47only 8 is a product that is refined, refined.
09:52Everything else is a finished product.
09:54And mainly gasolines, more and more of the premium,
09:59gasoline also, more and more of the optimal gasoline.
10:02And this, the prices in the international market,
10:05have made the price differential,
10:09which before the war in Ukraine and before COVID,
10:13was between 12 and 15 dollars.
10:15Today, in the case of gasoline, it is above 30 dollars.
10:18Which makes a lot of people say,
10:20but why, if the oil has gone down,
10:22the other has not gone down?
10:23Because that's how the markets are, unfortunately.
10:27And by the way, we still have the protection of the subsidy,
10:32which has a very important cost at the fiscal level.
10:37I can already announce to you this afternoon,
10:40which will be announced,
10:41the price list for next week.
10:43It will go down.
10:44It will go down again.
10:45The subsidy, probably,
10:47there is no longer a subsidy for premium gasoline.
10:50The subsidy is already at zero.
10:52And probably this week,
10:53regular gasoline will no longer have a subsidy.
10:56But that is an important requirement for the government.
10:59Yes, because notice that in the past 10 weeks,
11:03the subsidy exceeds 4 billion pesos.
11:07That is, it has an average of 400 million pesos per week.
11:11And that is very important,
11:13because in the budget of 2025,
11:15there is a budget of 10 billion pesos,
11:18which is equivalent to 195 million pesos per week.
11:21That is, even with the relatively low oil prices,
11:25we have a subsidy that is practically double
11:28of what is already in the budget.
11:30In this sense, a truce, a ceasefire,
11:35and a peace there in Ukraine,
11:38would probably solve the problem of the subsidy
11:42in the second half of the year.
11:43And the other thing is that then the prices
11:45of many food commodities,
11:48grains, cereals, and oil,
11:51could also be lowered.
11:53So that would be good news.
11:55Now, on the other hand...
11:57And the products that we export could not be lowered as well.
12:01Bananas, tobacco...
12:03Look, we'll have to see,
12:07because it is true that sometimes,
12:10commodities are not just buying and selling physical products,
12:15but it has to do with speculation.
12:18When some commodities go down,
12:21they all end up going down,
12:23unless there are particular situations
12:26of each commodity.
12:28For example, I was hearing that
12:31they are going to receive someone from the cocoa sector.
12:33The cocoa sector is supposed to be cooking.
12:37Gold, gold is coming.
12:39Every cocoa seed is becoming another gold mine.
12:43Last year, the prices of cocoa have tripled.
12:46That's the good side of it.
12:48The bad side is that, obviously,
12:50as a final consumer,
12:52you go to the supermarket,
12:54you see that all the products that have chocolate
12:57and have cocoa inside,
12:59the prices have gone up.
13:01The same thing has happened with coffee.
13:04In the case of coffee,
13:06it's not so much because what we export has gone up in price,
13:09but in the case of coffee,
13:11we are still importing 60% of what we consume,
13:16and the prices of coffee are almost the same
13:20as the prices of cocoa.
13:22That explains why some groups,
13:24even if we produce them here in the country,
13:26if those groups are exported,
13:28then what ends up going down,
13:30unfortunately, whether we like it or not,
13:32is the international price.
13:34And some international prices...
13:36Last year,
13:38the exports of cocoa
13:40in a value,
13:42according to the data of the Central Bank,
13:44grew by 150%.
13:46That's a lot of money.
13:48Because of the price,
13:50although the volume did not increase,
13:52unfortunately.
13:54No, and in fact,
13:56you know that the reason for the price rise
13:58is because of some markets,
14:00or because of natural causes,
14:02or many times because of military problems,
14:06Yes, in Africa, basically.
14:08In Africa, precisely.
14:10All of this shows you
14:12the importance of maintaining
14:14local production.
14:16Sometimes,
14:18even if we are not
14:20super competitive
14:22in terms of cost,
14:24crises like the 2008-2009
14:26food crisis,
14:28or more recently, the COVID crisis,
14:30show us that,
14:32regardless of the level of cost
14:34that you have,
14:36if you can produce
14:38a good amount of food
14:40that needs your care,
14:42you have to do it,
14:44because it is a matter of sovereignty,
14:46of security for the country.
14:48Henry, this week,
14:50the International Monetary Fund
14:52is visiting the Dominican Republic.
14:54A routine visit, really.
14:56It has already given a small nod
14:58in diplomatic terms,
15:00saying that there is stability,
15:02but there are many questions
15:04on the fiscal issue.
15:06What are your expectations?
15:08How do you see this visit
15:10coming to an end?
15:12Yes, of course,
15:14we are no longer in the 80s or 90s.
15:16In any country,
15:18especially in Latin America,
15:20look at the IMF.
15:22You know who can do it.
15:24No, that has changed.
15:26The IMF has changed,
15:28and it is good that it has changed,
15:30but there are still many abuses.
15:32Abuses?
15:34Many abuses,
15:36but they were very expensive abuses.
15:38People have been ruined,
15:40and people have lost their lives
15:42in protests that would not have existed
15:44with a little...
15:46We know about that here
15:48in the Dominican Republic.
15:50The IMF seems to be
15:52very focused.
15:54That was what happened yesterday,
15:56according to Transciende,
15:58what are we going to do with the subsidies
16:00and with the extensions?
16:02Yes, and that, look,
16:04there is an interesting fact.
16:06Normally,
16:08before mid-March,
16:10one of the governmental institutions
16:12of which very little is spoken,
16:14because it does a very interesting
16:16and very relevant job,
16:18the Directorate General of Governmental Accounting,
16:20the DGCOG, publishes
16:22one of the best reports
16:24on the Dominican economy.
16:26It is the report on the state
16:28of investments and rents.
16:30It is taken as the financial
16:32and accounting report
16:34of public accounts.
16:36It is a report
16:38that you can complete
16:40with the other one in April,
16:42the Accounting Chamber,
16:44which annually submits to the Congress,
16:46according to the Constitution,
16:48its report to the Congress
16:50on the execution of the accounts.
16:52So,
16:54nowadays,
16:56from the outside,
16:58not only for the fund,
17:00but also for the investment agencies,
17:02for the investment banks,
17:04the Dominican Republic
17:06has become the pretty girl
17:08of Latin America
17:10for these two reasons.
17:12It has managed to maintain,
17:14with the exception of the year 2023,
17:16which was a special year
17:18because of the interest rate,
17:20it has managed to stay
17:22in the top three places
17:24in terms of growth rate,
17:26but beyond
17:28the growth rate,
17:30look, in total,
17:32each one can reach
17:34a growth rate of 5%,
17:36more valuable now
17:38for the Dominican Republic,
17:40and in fact it was the first thing
17:42that the International Monetary Fund mentioned,
17:44the stability. Beyond the economic stability,
17:46there is a political stability,
17:48a social peace,
17:50which is a fundamental asset
17:52for the Dominican Republic,
17:54and it is,
17:56now, remember that it is also based
17:58on this same need
18:00to maintain social peace,
18:02that last year the president
18:04had to make a decision
18:06that still has a lot of relevance,
18:08which was to
18:10back up the issue
18:12of fiscal reform,
18:14which again
18:16was the right decision
18:18because there was no other,
18:20we had to make this decision.
18:22Now, remember, I think that here
18:24I had commented, at the beginning
18:26everyone was very relieved because
18:28we were afraid of losing social peace
18:30because that was very hot,
18:32that was very hot,
18:34but after several days
18:36people started,
18:38and me too, and you too,
18:40and now what? What are we going to do?
18:42In a way, this question
18:44is being asked,
18:46obviously also
18:48by the International Monetary Fund,
18:50in relation to what you are saying,
18:52because this report I mentioned,
18:54I have a figure
18:56that I have not seen reviewed anywhere,
18:58What is that figure?
19:00The amount of
19:02transfers to the electric sector,
19:04for only 100,000 million pesos.
19:06100,000 million?
19:08Yes, and that is not a data of Eusébio Ebrard.
19:10It is from the government.
19:12It is official data of the state.
19:14This was in 2024?
19:16Yes, in 2024.
19:18I mentioned the figure that exceeds
19:20the 100,000 million pesos.
19:22That amount
19:24is composed
19:26by the direct transfers
19:28to the energy sector,
19:30and also
19:32to the fuel sector, right?
19:34No, no, no.
19:36And if you add to that
19:38the fuel sector...
19:40You are saying that for this year
19:42we are more
19:44close to 15,000 million
19:46than 10,000 million,
19:48because
19:50unlike last year,
19:52where the subsidy
19:54is being concentrated,
19:56last year it was gasoline
19:58and above all diesel,
20:00but now, and this is problematic,
20:02the majority, almost 80%
20:04of the subsidy goes to the GLP.
20:06The GLP has a subsidy
20:08that was for many weeks
20:10above 30 pesos.
20:1230 pesos per gallon.
20:14That's a lot.
20:16Imagine if
20:18we had to eliminate
20:20this subsidy,
20:22you would have to increase it by 30 pesos,
20:24and the GLP would have
20:26an important cost.
20:28It is a great difficulty,
20:30because it costs a lot of money.
20:32We have to see
20:34how to dismantle this,
20:36but it is not easy,
20:38because it is not only a matter of political cost.
20:40There is an economic cost
20:42to this, there is a social cost
20:44to this, but
20:46it is a matter
20:48that at some point you have to think
20:50about how to solve this
20:52and make it more, maybe better
20:54focused. Because, gentlemen,
20:56I am receiving part of this subsidy,
20:58I appreciate it, but look,
21:00if they take this part
21:02of the subsidy from me,
21:04I will continue to live,
21:06but it would be the case, perhaps, of others
21:08that if they take away this subsidy,
21:10they will continue to live,
21:12but with great difficulties.
21:14Henry, the time is not over,
21:16but what an interesting conversation.
21:18You have to maintain optimism.
21:20You have to maintain it and also
21:22keep in touch so that you come more often.
21:24No, no, with pleasure.
21:26Friday is not bad, because I notice
21:28that the transit is easier.
21:30Tuesday is the worst day.
21:32Gentlemen, we are going to take a break.
21:34We are going to talk with Isidoro
21:36de la Rosa, who is the
21:38Executive President of the
21:40Dominican Confederation of Cacao Cultors.
21:44Thank you for continuing in tune with 1 plus 1.
21:46We start the second interview
21:48this morning. Isidoro de la Rosa
21:50is the president of the
21:52association, rather,
21:54the Executive President of the
21:56Dominican Confederation of Cacao Cultors.
21:58The cacao that has been mentioned
22:00as part of
22:02the previous interview,
22:04which is in very good condition
22:06at the moment in the international market.
22:08Agricultural products are
22:10well positioned today,
22:12because you have cacao,
22:14but coffee has also risen in price.
22:16Although there is little coffee here,
22:18but the tobacco
22:20and the banana are hard.
22:22The banana is in trouble.
22:24The banana is in trouble, but the prices
22:26are still good.
22:28In the case of cacao,
22:30the tobacco is fabulous.
22:32Yes, the country is the leader
22:34at the world level.
22:36The leader in the production of cigars.
22:38We have a franc for cigars.
22:40But the cacao,
22:42that is our topic.
22:44How is it going?
22:46Everyone talks about cacao,
22:48that they are bathing in toilet paper,
22:50cacao cultors.
22:52What is the reality,
22:54ours as a country?
22:56No, really, cacao
22:58has reached its maximum price
23:00in 1977.
23:02Due to drought in Africa,
23:04and now it is back.
23:06But now the price
23:08has multiplied by 5.
23:10To the 77.
23:12To the 77.
23:14Which means
23:16that in 1977
23:18the maximum was $ 5,000.
23:20A ton.
23:22And now it is $ 9,000.
23:24Now it has reached $ 12,600.
23:26And now it is $ 8,000.
23:28Today it is $ 8,000.
23:30It has gone down a bit,
23:32but it is still...
23:34But in terms of the volume
23:36of exports,
23:38to take advantage of
23:40your market,
23:42how is it going?
23:44The prices are like this
23:46because the production of cacao
23:48has collapsed
23:50in 90% of
23:52traditional countries.
23:54And it has collapsed
23:56precisely because
23:58it was a crop that
24:00lasted for 50 years
24:02with a price of practically
24:04subsistence.
24:06So with this opening
24:08and with this change
24:10in the economy,
24:12producers simply
24:14harvested,
24:16and now with the climate
24:18the production has affected
24:20a lot.
24:22Last year
24:24it fell by 30%.
24:26Now it is going to improve
24:28a little, but very little.
24:30But in addition to that,
24:32what is being done is a change
24:34in the demographic structure.
24:36Traditional producers
24:38are emerging,
24:40and youth are not arriving.
24:42So we have to transform
24:44the whole system of production.
24:46And the incorporation of technology
24:48to production, because there was,
24:50for example, a cacao dryer
24:52that I think accelerates a little more
24:54and is a tool
24:56to improve the conditions
24:58of export.
25:00Technology in post-harvest
25:02has increased a lot,
25:04but what is needed
25:06is technology in production
25:08to increase
25:10production.
25:12And that is still a problem
25:14in the Dominican Republic
25:16because most farms are old,
25:18produce less,
25:20poorly structured,
25:22so they are not designed for
25:24management.
25:26And there it has not advanced enough.
25:28What does Las Conascadas do
25:30to face this problem?
25:32We have permanently had workshops
25:34and training courses.
25:36Right now we are designing
25:38what would be an institute,
25:40an institute for the transformation
25:42of the cacao agri-food system.
25:44What is that?
25:46That means
25:48how to make
25:50the youth
25:52get to the cacao,
25:54but with a technical capacity
25:56that applies technology.
25:58It's good that you trust that,
26:00because it is difficult
26:02to achieve with a boy
26:04who has left the field,
26:06because the issue is that the agricultural
26:08plantations are in rural areas,
26:10generally where social services
26:12are precarious.
26:14And there is a lack of opportunities
26:16for studies.
26:18So that he returns to the field,
26:20or that from the field
26:22he stays in the field.
26:24That is the goal.
26:26That would be almost impossible
26:28if the prices were not at the
26:30levels that are now.
26:32That is why the chocolate industry
26:34will simply drive
26:36that the price remains at a level
26:38that attracts a new generation
26:40of producers.
26:42Yes, yes.
26:44Well, I know
26:46a boy who has a farm
26:48in Cotuí, who studied
26:50industrial engineering here,
26:52and he became a farmer without knowing it.
26:54He has a cacao farm,
26:56but not from now, but from a long time ago.
26:58Yes, that example is multiplied,
27:00and now with these prices
27:02there will be a layer of young people
27:04that will grow.
27:06Because you have to think
27:08that the academic level
27:10of the Dominican Republic is a set course.
27:12So there is a large mass of population
27:14that the option of getting into agriculture
27:16And the support of the state
27:18and organizations
27:20like CONACADO
27:22so that the cultivation of cacao
27:24is increased
27:26and the quality of the crops
27:28improves.
27:30What do we have in that sense?
27:32Yes, the Agricultural Bank has given a lot of loans
27:34for cacao.
27:36One of its largest portfolios
27:38Besides rice, cacao
27:40has given a lot of money.
27:42As it has to be, because in this time.
27:44Yes, and then
27:46other institutions
27:48of the state have also supported.
27:50But I hear complaints
27:52that
27:54high-performance
27:56seedlings are missing
27:58for those who
28:00want to renew their plantation
28:02and there is not enough
28:04technical advice
28:06from the Agricultural Bank
28:08for the small
28:10and medium producers.
28:12How true is that?
28:14Yes, the problem is
28:16that previously
28:18when the prices were
28:20relatively low
28:22plants were produced
28:24and the producers were not interested.
28:26Now there is a great interest.
28:28So now we have to change the whole system
28:30of plant production
28:32so that it is massively produced.
28:34That needs a whole structure.
28:36Precisely thinking about that
28:38the state is negotiating
28:40a loan
28:42with the French Development Agency
28:44to invest
28:46and create all that environment
28:48both technical assistance
28:50and high-quality
28:52planting material.
28:54Germany has been very interested
28:56in the area of cacao
28:58for decades.
29:00There is still that support
29:02through the Ministry of Agriculture.
29:04German technical assistance
29:06is focused
29:08more on the environment
29:10but now
29:12next week
29:14we are going to start
29:16a German GIZ project
29:18to improve
29:20the quality
29:22and productivity of cacao.
29:24What does it consist of?
29:26Improving the technological management
29:28of the crop.
29:30If someone
29:32like Stalin
29:34wants to plant cacao,
29:36where does he get the plants?
29:38There are many private nursery
29:40and the public sector
29:42has many nurseries as well.
29:44So you can approach
29:46the department.
29:48Are there quality plants in those nurseries?
29:50Yes.
29:52I have a question.
29:54You make a statement
29:56related to the incorporation
29:58and technical participation
30:00of a younger population
30:02in terms of production.
30:04What is the percentage
30:06of young people
30:08under 40, 35 years old?
30:10It is very low.
30:12You make a meeting
30:14with the cacao producers
30:16and the average is 60, 70 years old.
30:18Have you done any studies
30:20on the composition of cacao producers?
30:22Yes.
30:24Age, conditions?
30:26Only the European regulations
30:28require you to have everything
30:30under control.
30:32It is the total traceability of the crop.
30:34That is one of the weaknesses
30:36that the sector will need
30:38a clear public policy
30:40to be able to do that.
30:42To be sustainable.
30:44Because the field has to be organized
30:46with the georeferencing
30:48of each farm.
30:50You have to constantly educate the producer.
30:52Is it based on that?
30:54It is a private sector.
30:56Cacao is doing a great job.
30:58And the state doesn't support it?
31:00Until now,
31:02there is a plan for that.
31:04Yesterday,
31:06a plan was finished
31:08for that support.
31:10What would that consist of?
31:12How to support
31:14with the georeferencing
31:16of the farm,
31:18with the technical assistance
31:20and start applying technology
31:22to the crop.
31:24CONACADO,
31:26the Dominican Confederation of Cacao Producers,
31:28is the main organization
31:30of the sector, right?
31:32How many members does it have?
31:34And what is the volume of exports?
31:36The members of CONACADO
31:38are around 9,200
31:40small producer members.
31:42The average volume
31:44of exports is 15,000,
31:46although in the last two years
31:48it has dropped a lot.
31:50The problem is the crop
31:52and the market.
31:54Ten years ago,
31:56there were seven exporters
31:58in the sector.
32:00Now there are 48.
32:02Exporters?
32:04Exporters of Cacao.
32:06So the pattern has been divided.
32:08Now it is much easier
32:10to export than before.
32:12Yes, there are no restrictions.
32:14There are no restrictions.
32:16And those exporters
32:18are small or medium-sized companies?
32:20Associations?
32:22There are all kinds,
32:24but basically small and medium-sized companies.
32:26And the percentage
32:28of that market
32:30that you have of exports?
32:32We are at around
32:3420%.
32:36We were at around 30%.
32:38And they have dropped?
32:40Yes.
32:42Because of the arrival
32:44of new exporters?
32:46Yes.
32:48Because of the arrival
32:50of new exporters.
32:52Because now there are...
32:54From 7 to 48.
32:56It is a big jump.
32:58But here there are two traditional companies
33:00that export cacao.
33:02Yes, those are kept
33:04as leaders.
33:06We are more or less
33:08in third place.
33:10Now you are in third place.
33:12You were in second place at one point.
33:14But now you are in third place.
33:16But you are still the first
33:18to export organic cacao.
33:20Yes, we have the lead
33:22in that.
33:24Because that strengthened us
33:26and we have continued.
33:28And what are your perspectives?
33:30There is a lot of uncertainty
33:32in the sector.
33:34But the potential is there.
33:36This country needs
33:38to put all its land
33:40to produce to the maximum
33:42because we have a land,
33:44an agricultural sector
33:46with a very strong potential.
33:48What is needed is to inject
33:50technology and capital.
33:52Public policies
33:54that attract that technology
33:56and that capital.
33:58Cacao can be planted anywhere
34:00or does it need special land?
34:02No, cacao is a tropical crop.
34:04It was basically born
34:06in the Amazon jungle.
34:08It needs humidity and water
34:10and fertile soil.
34:12Water.
34:14Water that rains.
34:16Most plantations don't have irrigation.
34:18Are there plantations with irrigation?
34:20There are some.
34:22But cacao,
34:24precisely,
34:26if you are not going to irrigate it,
34:28it has to be in an area
34:30where it rains
34:32at least 1,500 milligrams
34:34per year.
34:36That's what it needs.
34:38It needs shade.
34:40But have I seen a lot of cacao
34:42in full sun?
34:44Not a lot.
34:46Normally, not a lot,
34:48but in Ecuador, yes,
34:50because the solar radiation is stronger
34:52in the Caribbean.
34:54If there is no shade, it dries up.
34:56Cacao can't stand so much solar radiation.
34:58There are
35:00a variety of cacao
35:02of higher value
35:04in the markets
35:06like white cacao.
35:08We don't have it here.
35:10We have about 5%
35:12of the total, but it's mixed
35:14so it's difficult to select.
35:16You have to mix it
35:18with everything.
35:20Are there plantations that are
35:22only white cacao?
35:24There is basically one
35:26in Los Rizemes, I think.
35:28But you have to
35:30have a lot of affection
35:32to accompany it.
35:34The process
35:36of maintaining it is more
35:38complicated.
35:40And the yield is very low.
35:42The economic volume
35:44of exports,
35:46you were talking about the amount.
35:48On average,
35:50before the price increase,
35:52it was 200 million.
35:54This year, possibly
35:56it will reach
35:581,000 million.
36:001,000 million dollars.
36:02But in this case,
36:04not because of the volume,
36:06but because of the volume.
36:08The volume will remain the same,
36:10or maybe less.
36:12In the case of cacao,
36:14of tobacco,
36:16it has increased
36:18both price and volume.
36:20The country has increased
36:22the dedicated area.
36:24You know that the country
36:26has not increased so much
36:28because the problem of the country
36:30has increased.
36:32Why do we have to import
36:34tobacco leaves?
36:36Because there are
36:38special climates
36:40for this type of tobacco.
36:42We have a climate
36:44for high-priced
36:46and high-quality tobacco.
36:48So we have to combine it.
36:50And that is being done.
36:52The leaves are still being imported.
36:54Yes, yes.
36:56Because the exports,
36:58what happens is that
37:00it appears as industrial exports,
37:04but in reality
37:06they are agricultural.
37:08Cacao imports
37:10exceed 1,200 million dollars.
37:12Of cacao, no.
37:14Of cacao or tobacco.
37:16Of tobacco, almost 1,500 million.
37:18Almost 1,500 million.
37:20Yes, because you know
37:22that tobacco,
37:24that is where it is concentrated,
37:26is high-priced.
37:28So the added value is quite high.
37:34The agriculture,
37:36in general,
37:38because you were also the director
37:40of a confederation
37:42that groups many associations.
37:44The agriculture, in general,
37:46how does it work?
37:48No, really the Dominican agriculture
37:50sector,
37:52there is innovation in other crops
37:54that are being planted,
37:56but it needs to do
37:58what is being done in UBA,
38:00do it in all sectors,
38:02bring technology and investment,
38:04because without that,
38:06the agriculture sector does not work.
38:08But UBA is still a small proportion.
38:10We talk about rice,
38:12cacao, tobacco,
38:14which are significant crops,
38:16and not to mention vegetables.
38:18Yes, all agricultural crops
38:20already need technology
38:22because the young labor
38:24does not want to do manual work.
38:26And you do not want Haitians.
38:28And that is another difficulty
38:30for the economy,
38:32so technology is needed.
38:34That is precisely why
38:36we have to look for funds
38:38to create this facility.
38:40How much labor
38:42would it take
38:44to maintain or increase
38:46the projections
38:48that the sector has?
38:50Right now there is a shortage
38:52of labor in all sectors,
38:54in the agricultural sector,
38:56because the Dominicans
38:58do not want to work,
39:00the Haitians want to work,
39:02but with the demand
39:04that the sector cannot stand,
39:06because now they are syndicalists.
39:08But there are no Haitian syndicates.
39:10Something is being promoted
39:12among themselves.
39:14Among themselves?
39:16Yes, among themselves.
39:18Does it have anything to do
39:20with the insecurity of the sector?
39:22They are aware of the shortage,
39:24the Dominicans do not want to work,
39:26and they take advantage of that.
39:28They want to do that.
39:30But in the field of technology
39:32in the agricultural sector,
39:34you have the greenhouses.
39:36The greenhouses are a revolution
39:38in the production of vegetables,
39:40especially in the Dominican Republic.
39:42That is true.
39:44Yes, yes, yes.
39:46But, for example, in cocoa,
39:48we are the country
39:50that is most advanced
39:52in the management of post-cultivation.
39:54Now Ecuador is imitating us,
39:56which can go very far
39:58because they invest a lot
40:00in cocoa.
40:02Both in cultivation
40:04and now they are doing it
40:06in post-cultivation.
40:08Speaking of post-cultivation,
40:10I see, because I look for a lot
40:12of things in Europe,
40:14for example, the machine.
40:16You put the cocoa in the machine,
40:18and the machine
40:20throws the cocoa
40:22from the grain,
40:24and throws the other
40:26that has not yet arrived here.
40:28Here there are
40:30one or two
40:32that have already started.
40:34Really?
40:36Yes, yes, yes.
40:38The problem with that
40:40is that the plantations here
40:42are not designed
40:44for that to work.
40:46You have to get it
40:48out of the field.
40:50You have to get it out of the field.
40:52No, but the machine
40:54that I am referring to,
40:56you take the cocoa
40:58and throw it there,
41:00but it is not the same as
41:02a machete,
41:04and taking out the heart
41:06as you take it out.
41:08Everything is manual.
41:10That technology is going to come in.
41:12It is starting,
41:14but now with the price,
41:16people are going to have money.
41:18Especially the large plantations
41:20or associations.
41:22It is much easier.
41:24You have a network
41:26of centers,
41:28of collection,
41:30of processing.
41:32Does that work well?
41:34Yes, yes.
41:36The problem is that we were
41:38starting with the technology
41:40of post-cultivation management.
41:42Therefore,
41:44that technology
41:46that was 20 years ago
41:48has to be transformed.
41:50It is a continuous improvement.
41:54That is where the machine is needed.
41:56Exactly,
41:58and a lot of capital
42:00is needed for that investment.
42:02The prices are starting now,
42:04but we are in a period
42:06of scarcity,
42:08so there is no accumulated capital
42:10to make that investment.
42:12That is why special funds are needed.
42:14Well, we have to pause.
42:18That's right, Rafa.
42:20That's right.
42:22Thank you, ladies and gentlemen,
42:24for continuing with this, your show,
42:26Uno Más Uno,
42:28which next Monday will be 38 years old.
42:30In the air.
42:3238 years.
42:3436 months.
42:3636 months.
42:40We are going to talk now
42:42with Leonardo Mercedes.
42:44Leonardo Mercedes
42:46is an engineer,
42:48an engineer with a specialization
42:50in sanitary issues.
42:52He is also a social activist,
42:54a paragonero.
42:56He is pure sepia.
42:58Leo is here
43:00to report
43:02on the technical
43:04failures in the construction
43:06of the Montegrande dam.
43:08The Montegrande dam
43:10has been sold
43:12as the hope
43:14to develop the south.
43:16To develop the south.
43:18One of the key components
43:20to develop the south,
43:22especially in agriculture,
43:24but also in quality of life.
43:26What is going on, Leo?
43:28Tell us.
43:30Thank you for the invitation.
43:34Greetings
43:36to this broad audience
43:38that has this program.
43:44What is going on
43:46in Montegrande
43:48is terrible.
43:50Even though
43:52it is a hope
43:54for the development
43:56and well-being of our region,
43:58it is a factor
44:00of headache
44:02and risk
44:04for our region.
44:06Why?
44:08In the left part
44:10of the dam
44:12anchorage,
44:14in the wall,
44:16in the lower part,
44:18there are
44:20five or six
44:22leaks of water
44:24that have
44:26more than two cubic meters
44:28of water
44:30coming out.
44:34That could
44:36be a matter
44:38of danger
44:40and alarm.
44:42And it is
44:44who should
44:46reassure
44:48the public
44:50and the region
44:52about this situation.
44:54Because,
44:56even though
44:58the dams
45:00should not allow
45:02leaks or infiltrations
45:04on their screen,
45:06especially a dam like this
45:08that has an asphalt core
45:10all over the screen
45:12and in depth.
45:14However,
45:16it is the only dam
45:18in the country
45:20that has not yet
45:22accepted its delivery
45:24as completed.
45:26That is, it is already
45:28infiltrating.
45:30In the other dams in the country,
45:32it is not known, at least
45:34I do not know it and several
45:36hydraulic engineers
45:38do not know
45:40leaks in the dams
45:42of our country. Why?
45:44Because the dams
45:46are built and must
45:48have three basic conditions.
45:50The first is
45:52to be
45:54an
45:56economic construction.
45:58It is an economic project.
46:00Secondly,
46:02safety should not
46:04fail
46:06in the face of
46:08the strongest
46:10risks of
46:12adverse factors.
46:14But also, during its useful life,
46:16it must function
46:18without
46:20any type of
46:22evident failure.
46:24However,
46:26this dam
46:28in Montegrande,
46:30the first one, which was economic,
46:32has already exceeded it
46:34because it is costing three times
46:36more than was initially
46:38presupposed.
46:40And secondly,
46:42it is already showing
46:44critical functionality
46:46when it is
46:48allowing leaks.
46:50Has the INDRE given any explanation?
46:52That is one of the reasons
46:54why I, who already knew
46:56the problem from last year,
46:58because I maintain
47:00good information
47:02about the people who work there,
47:04the colleagues also,
47:06professionals who work
47:08in the INDRE, that this was happening.
47:10But I did not want
47:12to bring it to the public
47:14expecting that
47:16the INDRE would give the explanation
47:18in the face of the evidence
47:20that this was happening.
47:22Also, I did not want
47:24this to happen
47:26in the first place
47:28and relegate
47:30the main struggle
47:32that we have in Montegrande
47:34around the failure
47:36of the governments
47:38against the 390 families
47:40of El Salo Jara
47:42who still do not have land
47:44and are now being offered money
47:46and not land.
47:48And also,
47:50I wanted
47:52this to be handled
47:54without alarming
47:56the population.
47:58Well,
48:00those elements got out of hand
48:02and the case
48:04came to light.
48:06But it is the INDRE
48:08that has to give the explanation.
48:10But there is something, Leo.
48:12I saw in some images
48:14that circulated
48:16that there was a little channel
48:18that was made
48:20and that is where the water
48:22that comes out of some...
48:24That means that those channels
48:26were foreseen that this could happen.
48:28That collects a part, right?
48:30Because I sent you
48:32other videos
48:34where
48:36there are three
48:38leaks
48:40different from the one
48:42that is channeled
48:44already at the foot of...
48:46But the fact that it is channeled
48:48does not mean that it was foreseen that this could happen.
48:50No, no. What happens
48:52is that the INDRE,
48:54when it realized the situation,
48:56began
48:58to handle
49:00the issue so that
49:02somehow
49:04that was a place.
49:06Now, what happens?
49:08That dam does not have a concrete wall
49:10No, it is the dam.
49:12The dam is made of land
49:14with an asphalt core
49:16in the center of the screen.
49:18What happens?
49:20Because it is not the first land dam
49:22No, no, no.
49:24There are hundreds
49:26of land dams
49:28in the world.
49:30Among the thousand,
49:32among the thousand dams
49:34in the world,
49:36there are thousands,
49:38I mean, hundreds of land dams.
49:40Now, what happens?
49:42That the land dams
49:44are the most likely
49:46to fail.
49:48They, the land dams
49:50and the rocking dams
49:52are
49:54the most likely
49:56to fail.
49:58Even ours
50:00in that range,
50:02like land dams, but others
50:04are among the dams
50:06that in terms of height
50:08also fail more,
50:10which are those that are in the range
50:12between 50 and 100 meters in height.
50:14And ours, the screen has
50:1657 meters.
50:18What do you ask specifically?
50:20What we ask is that
50:22the INDRE
50:24explain
50:26to the
50:28community
50:30what is happening there,
50:32if that is within
50:34the range of permissibility
50:36that was contemplated
50:38in the design of the dam.
50:40It should not be contemplated,
50:42but nevertheless
50:44there is a range of permissibility
50:46that must be
50:48followed
50:50in that case
50:52systematically.
50:54That is, there must be
50:56a follow-up
50:58to see the behavior
51:00that it is having.
51:02Because
51:04that situation
51:06called
51:08tubing
51:10or
51:12internal erosion
51:14of the screen
51:16material
51:18is also one of the
51:20most frequent causes
51:22of failures along with
51:24the movement of
51:26the water above
51:28the screen of the dam
51:30are the two most frequent
51:32elements of the failure.
51:34So the INDRE must
51:36systematically
51:38follow
51:40this situation.
51:42Leo, we promise to invite
51:44the director of the INDRE to give
51:46the explanations to the people
51:48in the program about this situation.
51:50We are talking about
51:52a warning of a danger.
51:54But attached to the truth,
51:56not to political demagogy.
51:58Because we are not in front of that.
52:00The catastrophe that could occur
52:02if that actually happens
52:04would disappear the Enriquilla region
52:06in the valley of Neiva.
52:08Ladies and gentlemen,
52:10we are running out of time.
52:12Thank you, Leo.
52:14Today is Friday, the working week ends.
52:16On Monday, we invite you to
52:18join us here
52:20in Telediario UNO Más Uno.