PPAF held discussions in Santiago, D.R., with greenhouse vegetable producers, the Ministry of Agriculture, three public banks and the Dominican Trade Desk on Saturday, April 19. Organized by Arq. Nicolas Guillen, president of En Dominicana Agro Industrial, the meeting included the Under-Secretary of State for Agriculture, representatives of Banco Agricola, Banco Nacional de Fomento de la Vivienda y la Produccion and Corporación de Fomento Industrial, as well as another major producer and a representative of the Dominican Trade Desk, which is a joint effort of the Junta Agroempresarial Dominicana, Inc., the Dominican Government, and Hunts Point Market (New York City). David Stillman and board member Scott Wright represented PPAF.

The meeting was a first step in putting together a program for national and international financing for greenhouses in collaboration with Dominican public sector banks and the Ministry of Agriculture. A memorandum of understanding is being developed to lay the basis for collaboration. This is a further step in PPAF's promotion of "partners against poverty." The aim is to work with agribusiness aimed at increasing productivity and profits as well as jobs and rural development to a wide range of beneficiaries.

Guillen took Stillman and Wright to visit two pilot greenhouses of the project, where 30,000 tomato plants are growing. The vegetables are destined for export to Florida.

Agriculture Ministry, Bankers, Growers, Dominican Trade Desk and PPAF	Tomatoes growing

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