The Dominican Republic can double exports of agricultural goods, which are just over U.S. $ 1,000 million annually, said the engineer Osmar Benitez, CEO of the Dominican Agribusiness Board (JAD).
He suggested to the authorities along with producers select 30 agricultural activities each of which can generate at least $ 50 million per year, which would total about U.S. $ 1,500 million.
He cited among these crops Mango, avocado, pineapple, passion fruit, guava, vegetable greenhouses, aromatic herbs, banana type Barahona, melon, pitajaya, salad and cherry tomatoes, mini watermelons, oriental vegetables and sweet potatoes.
He said that to achieve this we need to strengthen the partnership between the Ministry of Agriculture, the Export Investment Center (CEI-RD) and private producers.
He added that Agriculture should collaborate with all necessary health and safety, while the ICD-RD identify new markets and promoting these.
He felt that the agency should be in charge of the promotion of Dominican products in fairs held in other countries, where buyers come.
He recalled that at the annual fair in Germany, the governments of Colombia and Costa Rica was placed stand and fund the participation of exporters in these countries.
He said Dominican producers often do not go to these events because they have the resources for that kind of promotion.
Benitez said that once the product offering is believed, local exporters have the ability to continue funding these stand in international fairs, which are places Dominican promotional production.
He said the country should become an exporter of tropical flowers such as birds of paradise, jinger, elicornes and others.
The Dominican Republic was a major flower exporters, he said. He added that the country came to have 38 projects flowers and if you currently have five, are many.
Benitez banana producer, also said the country must rescue aquaculture, not only for the local tourism market but for export.
“We can export tilapia fillet, because here is sufficient bodies of water for production, such as dams.”
He noted that in Honduras there are five large dams, where tilapia is grown.
“The country exported U.S. $ 55 million annual tilapia fillet to the U.S. market. Dominican Republic can also do that. “
Source: Hoy Digital