Havana, September 3 (RHC) -– The Dominican Republic could become a provider of chicken and eggs to Cuba and other Latin American nations after the country was given a green light by the World Animal Health Organization by declaring it “Territory Free of Bird Flu.”

 The action will allow Santo Domingo to compete on the world market and double its production of chicken and eggs for export, said Agriculture Minister Angel Estevez.

The country will keep monitoring its food security and that of those nations that import its products, said the minister, adding that the Dominican Republic expects to take its poultry production to the highest levels.

The president of the Dominican Poultry Association, Bolivar Cartagena, said that his sector earns over 700 million dollars annually and with the certification by the world entity, such figures could grow by 20 percent.

Over the past few years, the Caribbean nation produced chicken and eggs only for the local market, but now such products could go to Cuba, Venezuela and El Salvador, said Lissett Gomez, Dominican representative at the World Animal Health Organization.