Proposes measures to stop the collapse of banana exports
Banana production and exports, along with their foreign currency-generating impact on the Dominican economy, have plummeted since 2021, falling by almost half in just three years.
In 2021, $363.2 million of this product was sold to international markets, especially Europe, but in 2024 that number fell to $202.7 million , a 44.19% decrease, according to data from the Central Bank.
According to the Dominican Liberation Party's (PLD) assessment of the sector, the negative trend will continue into 2025 and is driving nearly 500 producers out of business , equivalent to 20% of the national total.
Weekly production is said to have been reduced from 400,000 boxes to almost half , the output per task is said to have dropped from 2 to 1.2 boxes, and job losses are said to have already totaled 30,000, according to data presented by Adriano Sánchez Roa, Secretary of Agricultural Affairs for the Purple Party.
In a press conference held Monday morning, the PLD attributed this crisis to the " managerial incompetence , ineffectiveness, and neglect" of the authorities in the face of an economic sector hit by several adverse events.
First and foremost are the new European regulations , which require investments to carry out inspections and audits that cannot be afforded without state support, according to Sánchez Roa.
Furthermore, he asserts that the absence of a national phytosanitary plan has allowed pests such as the mite and black sigatoka to devastate crops , staining the fruit and accelerating its ripening.
In this regard, former Minister of Agriculture Ángel Estévez denounces that all the plant health components he left behind have been eliminated from that ministry.
As a result, many shipments would be rejected in Europe, the main market for organic bananas, and exporters are forced to pay the cost of incineration .
Third, drought would require irrigating plantations every 10 days , but the high cost of fuel allows this to be done only every three weeks, dramatically reducing productivity.
An additional factor is the lack of Haitian labor , which has led to an increase in deportations of irregular immigrants.
Ángel Estévez demands a review of the legality of these policies because he himself has witnessed on his rice fields how immigration patrols take foreigners away in the afternoon "and return the next day."
The PLD made a series of proposals focused on channeling public funding so that producers can afford the machinery and technologies they need.
They also demanded state intervention in the conflict with the Dominican Agricultural Insurance Company (Agrodosa), which owes more than 170 million pesos to producers affected by tornadoes in 2024, who are said to be current on their policies.
"The Dominican Republic ranked 21st among banana-producing countries and was recognized by the FAO as the Caribbean's leading producer of organic bananas, controlling 55% of global production. Today, that reality has changed dramatically: from 450 containers per week in 2021, we have fallen to just 260," the opposition party states.
Cross of ManzanilloIn the La Cruz de Manzanillo project , in Montecristi, the decline in banana production is also evident, although its decline has been going on for much longer.
The administrations of Danilo Medina and Luis Abinader have promised to reinvigorate it, but its situation has not improved .
Winston Marte, a member of the PLD and resident in that province, reports that the purple administration left 16,000 tareas planted in that area and between 18 and 20 containers of bananas were exported each week.
"Today, not a single box of bananas is exported, and the number of employees, which used to be more than 2,700, now falls below 100," he notes.
Marte shares the complaint made by leaders of the Fuerza del Pueblo (FP) party regarding the alleged distribution of land among "comrades" of the Partido Revolucionario Moderno (PRM).
"Communities are reporting that ruling party leaders are exploiting the project's lands for personal gain," he charges.
The PLD indicated to the authorities the actions it believes should be taken to revive the banana sector:
The implementation of the "Banana Industry Competitiveness Rescue Project" with real financing for plantation renovation, technology introduction, and maintenance.
Immediate payment of the 170 million pesos owed by Agrodosa. In addition, sufficient resources must be allocated to provide a rapid and effective response to the damage caused by frequent natural phenomena.
Establish streamlined customs mechanisms to prevent stranded containers, which disrupt the cold chain.
Provide low-interest loans and extend repayment terms to producers affected by climate-related events.
Reconstruct local roads that provide access to farms and reduce transportation losses.
Design and implement a comprehensive national health plan to combat pests that affect banana quality and production.
Form a multidisciplinary technical team to support producers in meeting international standards required by the destination markets for banana exports.
This press conference was attended by PLD Vice President Zoraima Cuello , former Vice Minister of the Presidency, and other leaders linked to the agricultural sector.
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