Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05SANTODOMINGO5395
2005-12-16 20:11:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Santo Domingo
Cable title:  

LETTER FROM MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AMILCAR

Tags:  EAGR DR 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANTO DOMINGO 005395 

SIPDIS

TOFAS 42

FOR STATE DEPARTMENT
USDA FOR PATRICIA SHEIKH
AMS FOR KEN CLAYTON
AMS JARED BURNETT
USDA/FAA/WH AREA DIRECTOR, JBAILEY



E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR DR
SUBJECT: LETTER FROM MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AMILCAR
ROMERO ON DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AVOCADO ISSUE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANTO DOMINGO 005395

SIPDIS

TOFAS 42

FOR STATE DEPARTMENT
USDA FOR PATRICIA SHEIKH
AMS FOR KEN CLAYTON
AMS JARED BURNETT
USDA/FAA/WH AREA DIRECTOR, JBAILEY



E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR DR
SUBJECT: LETTER FROM MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AMILCAR
ROMERO ON DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AVOCADO ISSUE


1. SUMMARY: ON JULY 26, 2005, ACTING AGRICULTURAL
COUNSELOR PAUL HOFFMAN AND SENIOR AGRICULTURAL
SPECIALIST CARLOS SUAREZ MET WITH THE MINISTER OF
AGRICULTURE OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, AMILCAR ROMERO,
TO DISCUSS ONGOING CONCERNS ABOUT AVOCADOS AND THE
DOMINICAN REQUEST TO "OPEN THE WINDOW" FOR EXPORTS OF
THE SEMIL VARIETY TO THE UNITED STATES, AT A MINIMUM, A
WEEK EARLIER. SPECIFICALLY, HIS OFICE WAS CONCERNED
ABOUT THE ENTRY DATE OF THE SEMIL 34 VARIETY BEING
CHANGED FROM OCTOBER 11 TO OCTOBER 17 IN MY 2005/6.
THE SEMIL 34 VARIETY REPRESENTS ABOUT 70 PERCENT OF THE
DOMINICAN GREEN SKIN AVOCADO EXPORTS TO THE UNITED
STATES. THIS ISSUE HAS GENERATED CONSIDERABLE NEGATIVE
PRESS COVERAGE, PARTICULARLY WITH RESPECT TO THE
DR/CAFTA AGREEMENT. ACTION REQUEST IN PARAGRAPH 4.


2. ON OCTOBER 5, 2005, THE FAS OFFICE IN THE
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC RECEIVED A LETTER FROM MINISTER OF
AGRICULTURE AMILCAR ROMERO, DIRECTED TO SECRETARY
JOHANNS ADDRESSING THE AVOCADO ISSUE AGAIN.
TRANSLATION OF THE LETTER FOLLOWS IN PARAGRAPH 5.


3. AVOCADO PRODUCTION IN THE UNITED STATES IS VALUED
OVER US$350 MILLION DOLLARS. MOST OF THE PRODUCTION IS
IN CALIFORNIA AND APPROXIMATELY FIVE PERCENT IS
PRODUCED IN FLORIDA. ACCORDING TO DOC DATA, US AVOCADO
IMPORTS TOTALED $158 MILLION IN CY2004. U.S. IMPORTS
FROM THE DR TOTALED US$16 MILLION (TEN PERCENT) IN THE
SAME YEAR. IF WE ALLOWED AN EARLIER ENTRY, IMPORTS
WOULD INCREASE AN ESTIMATED .6 MILLION DOLLARS (LESS
THAN ONE PERCENT). THE U.S. EMBASSY BELIEVES THAT THE
GOOD WILL GENERATED BY OUR CONCESSION WOULD BE
EXTREMELY HELPFUL IN THE ACCEPTANCE OF DR-CAFTA IN THE
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.


4. ACTION REQUEST: PLEASE PROVIDE TALKING POINTS AND
TEXT TO RESPOND TO SECRETARY ROMERO'S REQUEST TO
SECRETARY JOHANNS. ANY ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE WOULD BE
WELCOMED.


5. UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION OF LETTER FROM DOMINICAN
MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE TO SECRETARY JOHANNS.

Distinguished Mr. Secretary:

We are pleased to address you and also express to
you, as the Head of this Department, our concern due

to the situation that has arisen as a result of
Agricultural Marketing Order OM915, issued by the
United States Department of Agriculture, which
regulates the entry of avocados of the Semil 34
variety into United States and Puerto Rican
territories, significantly affecting the producers
of avocados in the Dominican Republic.

We had hoped to meet with you at the recent
Ministerial Meeting on "Agriculture and Rural Life
in the Americas", held in Guayaquil, where the
Director General of the Interamerican Institute for
Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) was reelected. On
that occasion we would have personally discussed
with you this issue of great interest to the
Dominican agriculture sector; however, unfortunately
you could not attend.

Upon suggestion from deputy undersecretary for
Marketing and Regulatory Programs, Mr. James Butler,
with whom we had the opportunity to have breakfast
in Guayaquil, we have decided to draw your attention
to the difficulties that the avocado producers of
our country are facing with regard to the marketing
of their products in American territories.

This Ministry of Agriculture, has addressed the
United States Ambassador to our country on two
occasions as well as other officials from the United
States Department of Agriculture, to state our
concern in light of the above-mentioned Agricultural
Marketing Order and to request that the same be
reconsidered, because although the same has been
amended under "Formal rule-making", we believe that
there is room for some flexibility, without
affecting the availability of fresh quality ripe
fruits that are suitable for the United States
consumer, during seasons when there is very little
internal demand.

We are aware that you, as United States Secretary of
Agriculture, represent and endorse the OM915;
however, we also know that the group of Dominican
producers that has traditionally exported Semil 34
avocados to the United States fills a consumer need,
because said variety is not produced commercially in
Florida. Furthermore, Florida producers contribute
only 5% of the United States' avocado production.

On the other hand, we would like to point out that
the above-mentioned Marketing Order becomes ever
more complex and demanding for our export products,
which together with our condition as a small country
that depends on exports to strengthen its economy
worsens the above-mentioned situation.

In light of the above, we would like to request that
you consider the possibility of establishing
September 17 as the date of entry of Semil 34
avocados (green skin) from the Dominican Republic
into United States territory, thus creating a more
appropriate balance of the OM915, at least with
regard to its seasonal access scheme for imported
products.

Our request is based on Article 915.53 of said Order
(Exemption Certificates),which states that when an
individual demonstrates with proof that a variety of
avocado has reached its ripeness point before the
date established for its commercialization, the
Committee may then adopt, with the approval of the
Secretary of Agriculture, the procedural rules aimed
at commercializing said avocados.

In this regard, we ask that you take into account
that our country has always maintained good
agricultural trade relations with the United States,
relations that have traditionally united both
nations.

We would like to take advantage of this opportunity
to express our profound sorrow and consternation due
to the tragedy that has occurred in the State of
Louisiana, which has filled our nation with sadness.

We would like to express our gratitude in advance
for your attention in response to this exposition,
and at the same time convey to you our great esteem
and respect.

Sincerely yours,
Amilcar Romero P.
Minister of Agriculture

HERTELL