Browse Data and Analysis

The Dominican Republic’s food processing industry totaled $2.90 billion for calendar year (CY) 2024, in activities categorized as “food industry.” Beverages and other food products accounted for an additional $1.02 billion during the same period.

The United States is a major trading partner with the Dominican Republic (DR). The DR is the largest economy in the Caribbean and the seventh-largest economy in Latin America. Since the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) went into effect for the DR in 2007, U.S. agricultural exports to the DR have increased from $1 billion in 2007 to $2 billion in 2024.

On February 5, 2025, the Dominican Republic amended its Fiscal Control and Traceability System for Alcoholic Beverages and Cigars (TRAFICO), marking a significant victory for the U.S. alcoholic beverage industry.

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.

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.

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.

This report summarizes the key technical and import requirements for food and agricultural products imposed by the Government of the Dominican Republic.

With sugar production zones recovering from the drought that affected the country in the past years, Post forecasts an increase in sugar production to 610,000 metric tons (MT) during Marketing Year (MY) 2021/2022 (October/September).

Wheat consumption in the Dominican Republic (DR) during Marketing Year (MY) 2021/2022 (July 2021/ June 2022) is forecast at 455,000 metric tons (MT), with imports at 590,000 MT.

As of September 2020, the Dominican Republic’s food processing industry was valued at $2.5 billion, with an additional $0.7 billion for processed beverages and other products during the same period.

During 2020, U.S. total agricultural exports to the Dominican Republic increased by 6 percent, from US$1.26 billion in 2019 to $1.33 billion, reaching an all time high.