Browse Data and Analysis

The Dominican Republic is one of the fastest-growing and most dynamic economies in Latin America and the Caribbean. With U.S. agricultural products exports reaching $1.8 billion and consumer-oriented exports reaching $904.2 million in 2021, the country represents the fourth-largest market in the Western Hemisphere, only behind Mexico, Canada, and Colombia.

On March 7, 2022, President Luis Abinader addressed the nation to announce 10 policy measures to ease inflationary pressures in the Dominican Republic (DR) due to the lingering effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

With expected normal rainfall patterns over the main sugarcane production zones, Post forecasts sugar production in the Dominican Republic to be 630,000 metric tons (MT) in Marketing Year (MY) 2022/2023 (October/September), a 2 percent increase over the previous period last year.

The 2021 U.S. Agricultural Export Yearbook provides a statistical summary of U.S. agricultural commodity exports to the world.

The Dominican Republic´s food processing industry was valued at $10.6 billion during calendar year (CY) 2021 in activities categorized as “food industry” with an additional $3.2 billion for processed beverages and other products during the same period.

Wheat consumption in the Dominican Republic (DR) during Marketing Year (MY) 2022/2023 (July 2022/ June 2023) is forecast at 451,000 metric tons (MT), virtually flat from MY 2021/22. Dominican imports are forecast at 610,000 MT, a 2 percent increase from the last MY, due to increased exports of Dominican wheat products and the adverse effects of international wheat process on local demand for wheat products.

The Dominican Republic (DR) is the fourth-largest market for U.S. products in the Western Hemisphere, valued at $1.82 billion in 2021.

The Dominican Republic continues to be a strong market for U.S. bulk agricultural products (corn), intermediate goods (soybean meal), and high value consumer-oriented products (processed food products), reaching a total export value of $1.4 billion in 2020.

Biosafety regulatory efforts in the Caribbean remain stalled, and it is yet to be seen whether countries can regain the will and secure the international financing required to fully implement their National Biosafety Frameworks in a harmonized manner.

For Marketing Year October 2021/September 2022 (MY 2021/22), Post forecasts overall sugar production to increase to 620,000 metric tons (MT) due to favorable weather conditions.

Eager to put the COVID-19 pandemic behind it, the Caribbean is doing all it can to attract visitors and kick-start its tourism sector in 2021.

This report describes the major export certificates required by the Government of the Dominican Republic (DR) for imports of food and agricultural products. No substantive changes were published as of May 2021.