Record Pork Exports to Dominican Republic Featured in National Hog Farmer

In a guest column for National Hog Farmer magazine, USMEF outlines the factors that drove U.S. pork exports to the Dominican Republic (DR) to new heights in 2022.

Through November, pork exports to the DR already set annual records, totaling 76,085 metric tons, up 42% from the same period in 2021, while value increased 48% to $204.8 million. USMEF forecasts the full-year results will come in at just under 83,000 mt (up 41% from 2021), with value approaching $225 million (up 49%).

This remarkable growth was achieved even with heightened competition in the market. The DR temporarily suspended import duties on red meat in 2022, leading to larger pork imports from Canada and Europe. But the decree suspending these duties expired in October, meaning that the U.S. is once again the only major supplier with duty-free access to the market, while imports from non-FTA countries are subject to the DR’s 25% MFN tariff.

Chefs in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, participate in a U.S. pork master class conducted by USMEF