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 
 
  ¶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