The president of the Dominican Association of Exporters (Adoexpo), Elizabeth Mena, highlighted that this sector of the country is the fastest growing in Latin America and ranks 16th in the world in 2022, achieving exports of goods that generated an economic production estimated at US$21,040 million.
Of these, US$11,373 million are direct production and US$5,719 million are indirect.
Speaking this Wednesday at the 2022 Export Excellence Awards ceremony, the business leader highlighted that 1 out of every five jobs in the country is associated with the export sector and that the Dominican Republic is among the 20 countries in the world where exports grew the most in the last 30 years.
Mena stated that “the record figures that we have achieved in 2022, even in a context of volatility and uncertainty, make it clear that our sector is solid, resilient and still has enormous potential.”
The president of Adoexpo specified that the contribution of the export sector is not limited to the generation of foreign currency, but rather mobilizes the economy in a general sense by demanding goods and services as production inputs and generates additional consumption through the income contributed in payment of direct and indirect jobs.
He indicated that the joint activity of exports of traditional goods and services already generate more than a million jobs, which provide well-being to thousands of Dominican families, more than 400,000 direct jobs and more than 500,000 indirect or induced jobs.
“If we talk about fiscal income, in 2021 the sector contributed more than 65 billion pesos, which represents around 7% of the total current income of the government. That is, seven out of every 100 pesos that the State receives for current income is related in one way or another to the export sector”, he pointed out.
However, Mena pointed out that “we cannot let ourselves be carried away solely by the enthusiasm that these figures give us, and it is necessary to thoroughly analyze the situation of the sector and identify those areas in which we can still continue to improve, grow and contribute”.
He said that the truth is that, despite these increases that we are talking about, our exports have lost weight with respect to the country’s GDP, and this contrasts to a large extent with the trend of those countries that have achieved greater economic growth.
He pointed out that “we have come a long way and the permanent collaboration of President Luis Abinader and key institutions such as the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and MSMEs, the General Directorate of Customs, ProDominicana and the General Directorate of Control of Drugs, which maintain a channel of dialogue and permanent action with our sector, our thanks to all of them go from here”.
He stated that this should serve as a stimulus because we still face complex challenges that force us to continue working and improving, and that the uncertainty and instability in the supply of raw materials due to factors such as inflation and problems in supply chains.
held that a risk is perceived in the rise in the electricity rate, due to the increase experienced in the price of gas and fuels due to the war in Ukraine, In addition, the export sector needs, more than ever, exchange stability, driven by monetary and fiscal policies that always take into consideration that our sector needs to be competitive in international markets.
“To this is added that we are constantly facing regulatory changes in sanitary and phytosanitary measures and technical obstacles to trade, presented by important export markets, particularly the European Union, and that this threatens access to those markets by some Dominican products” , Indicated the president of Adoexpo.
PAwards for Exporting Excellence
Adoexpo delivered this Wednesday the awards for Export Excellence 2022, during which the Dominican National Brewery with the highest award of “Great Dominican Exporter”which recognizes productivity in this sector as the engine of growth, economic development and social progress in the country.
The ceremony took place at a lunch held at the JW Marriott hotel, with the words of Raquel Peña, Vice President of the Republic; Víctor Bisonó, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Mipymes; and Elizabeth Mena, president of the board of directors of Adoexpo.
Adoexpo recognized the company Plastifar, in the category “Industrial Export Excellence”; Rowe Laboratory, as “exporting excellence free zones; AMR Agro Agrotechnology, in the “Agricultural Export Excellence” and the companies Halka Industrial and Carifrutas, shared the “SME Export Excellence” award.
In the line “Excellence in exporting services” they obtained this award Prodomincana, in the mention of the public sector and Marítima Dominicana, in the mention of the private sector; while the company Intellysis was recognized as “Excellence in ICT exports” and the company Educology Hub in “Export excellence in orange economy”.
Ilena Rosario Rodríguez, director of Commercial Policy of the Vice Ministry of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs, and Viktor Rodríguez Silva, director of the Office of Agricultural Trade Treaties (Otca) of the Ministry of Agriculture, achieved special recognitions, in the line “Excellence public servant” and Millizen Uribe, web editor of the newspaper Hoy, as a featured journalist.
In addition, awards were given to Angie Shakira Martínez, Dominican ambassador in Jamaica, as “Outstanding recognition abroad and to Forbes magazine, in a specialized media outlet.
In this edition of the Adoexpo awards, in which 30 companies competed in seven categories, it was attended by high-ranking government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, business leaders and representatives of the companies nominated for the awards.
For 36 years, Adoexpo has recognized the effort, talent and quality of Dominican exporting companies and that the objective of the award is to stimulate this productive activity as the engine of growth and the economic and social development of the country.
In addition, the sustainable progress in the foray into new markets and the introduction of systems to export processes.
The mission of the members of the jury, made up of representatives of public and private sector entities, who guarantee transparency and legitimacy in meeting the criteria of the award rules.
The selection of candidates was governed by the criteria of export experience, market and product diversification, comparative and competitive advantages of companies, innovation in their products, processes or services, market access strategy, among others. .
Companies and institutions and allies
The annual sponsors of this event were, in the “Platinum” category, the Banco de Reservas, Corporación Minera Dominicana (Cormidom), DP World Caucedo, Falconbridge Dominicana (Falcondo), Gerdau Metaldom, Grupo SID and Banco Popular Dominicano, while in the “Gold” category is Laboratorio Rowe and in the “Silver” category is Banco Lafise, Cemento Cibao, Kinnox, Mardom, Plastifar and Pasteurizadora Rica.
While the allies Dominican Fertilizers (Abodom), Dominican Association of Portland Cement Producers (Adocem), Agricultural Bank, Development and Exports Bank (Bandex), Barrick Pueblo Viejo, Caei (Inicia), Petroleum Mining Chamber of the Dominican Republic ( Camipe), National Council of Free Zones, Crowley Logistics and General Directorate of Internal Taxes.
Likewise, the National Directorate for Drug Control (Dncd), Haina International Terminals (Hit), London Consulting, Implements and Machinery (Imca), Planeta Azul, Prodominicana, Proindustria, Rannik and Seabord Marine (Seadom).
