March 22, 2023

US pork exports to the Dominican Republic 28% higher in January

US pork exports to the Dominican Republic increased 28% year-on-year in January 2023 to more than 8,000 metric tonnes, with the export value 67% up to nearly US$24 million, the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF) reported.

Lucia Ruano, USMEF regional representative for Central America and the Dominican Republic, said consumer education initiatives, supported by the USDA Market Access Programme and the National Pork Board, have helped increase demand for US pork.

Ruano said the Dominican Republic is a major market in the region for the US, and education is important. They are trying to teach everyone that pork belongs in the middle of the plate and isn't just a component of processed foods.

Ruano also said the demand for pork has benefited from a strong recovery in the tourism sector.

Before the pandemic, the Dominican Republic was developing a strategy to bring in 10 million visitors annually, Ruano said. The country had 7.4 million tourists in 2019, and then the pandemic hit. They began doing a great job promoting both domestic and foreign travellers last year, and they ended 2022 with 8.4 million visitors.

Ruano said that the Dominican Republic is still dealing with the effects of African swine fever (ASF), which is why there is a rise in demand for pork.

According to Ruano, there are about 20,000 producers who raise backyard swine, so the ASF is still having an impact on them, adding that it is going to be difficult to eliminate ASF in the country.

Dominican Republic's pork production has decreased by more than 30%, and output is expected to decline further this year.

-      US Meat Export Federation