The executive president of the Dominican Agrobusiness Board (JAD), Osmar Benítez, said that the Dominican Republic, an island nation, It matters 70% of the demand for fish which has, while the rest is produced locally, a percentage that, according to the former Minister of Agriculture, could increase with greater investment.
“We are importing 70% of the demand for fish of this country and we produce 30%, but who limits us to produce 70% ourselves? and leave the rest to the fish or shellfish that we cannot produce commercially or profitably,” the agronomist said.
Benítez expressed himself in these terms during the inauguration of the IV Congress of Food Sustainability of Fish Fresco, which aims to promote the growing consumption in the country, and to disseminate its importance for the food sustainability of Dominicans.
The president of the JAD indicated that the fish imported comes from countries such as China, Vietnam and Chile, while pointing out that the Creole market has “a potential huge and there is room to grow. There is fish that are special, but we already have Projects of marine fisheries aquaculture or pisciculture at sea”.
The official said that important facilities are installed in the country companies of trade of fish Worldwide.
“We are already producing 10-12% of the demand for dorado here. We should be making a greater effort every day to attract more foreign investors to a country that has an enviable stability,” added the president of the JAD, who highlighted the need for biggest promotion to attract the attention of that capital.
Environmental impact
Asked about the effect of the aquaculture and the pisciculture In environmental terms, taking into account that the large producing countries have faced challenges such as the contamination of ecosystems and diseases, Benítez said: “This type of development does not have much impact on the environment, on the contrary, it produces food in a sustainable way. sustainable“.
The breeding of fish in DR
Osmar Benítez said that in the Dominican Republic they have been working for years on the breeding of fish in inland waters, despite being in a region that does not have a fishing platform or bank fish as in Asia or northern Europe.
“In the tropics, industrial fishing is not very common. In the country we have almost 1,600 kilometers of coastline, but all coastal towns do artisanal fishing,” explained Benítez, who stressed that support for communities and facilities for production increases the supply of fish.
“Governments have made efforts in that direction. We call the culture of consumption of fish“He said, and stated that in previous years people expressed fear of consuming fishdue to the “myths” surrounding the fish.
They promote 600 Projects
During his speech at the IV Congress on Food Sustainability of Fresh FishBenítez reported that 600 are currently being promoted Projects commercial production of fishas the tilapia or the mere basis, an impulse resulting from the “explosion and exponential expansion” in terms of breeding and consumption inland waters fisheries production.
“Most are Projects From small producers, the poorest people have learned the benefits of producing tilapia, carp and have begun to produce it in small ponds and have discovered that as it is fish “They strengthen healthy and good nutrition,” he said.
The JAD president added that it is estimated that around 22,000 people are linked to fishing activity in the country, which is considered a source of wealth. “This can only be achieved when there is a alliance unwritten agreement between authorities and producers,” he added.
