The Dominican Republic exports ninety five percent (i.e. 559,438) of the 588,882 boxes of bananas it exports each week through the port of Manzanillo, in Montecristi. The remaining 5% (i.e. 29,444 boxes) are shipped out through the maritime terminal of Caucedo, in Santo Domingo.
The country receives more than US $ 4.7 million in foreign currency each week as a result of banana exports made through the port of Montecristi, which is equivalent to an annual average of US $244.4 million.
According to the study, Cold storage chain for banana exports: competitiveness and modernization, the Dominican Republic banana exports amount to US $5.0 million per week, but only 5% of this amount (US $250,274) is achieved through the shipments made via the port of Caucedo.
The study, conducted by the Dominican Agribusiness Board (JAD) and the European Union, also states that the country exports 11,306.5 tons of the product each week to different markets.
588,882 boxes of bananas are harvested every week in four Dominican provinces to be shipped abroad.
The Dominican bananas are mainly destined for European countries. According to statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture, in 2017 the top eight destination countries were European.
The main destinations were the United Kingdom, with US $80.1 million, Sweden (US $32.2 million), Belgium (US $31.2 million), the Netherlands (US $14.8 million), Germany (US $11.9 million), Denmark (US $4.2 million), Switzerland (US $ 4 million), Italy (US $ 3.8 million), Haiti (US $ 2.7 million) and Norway (US $ 2.4 million).
The Dominican Republic also exports its bananas to various Caribbean islands and countries in North America, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.
Source: eldinero.com.do