Non-traditional goods exports from the Dominican Republic, excluding free zone exports, increased in 1995, according to the Centro Dominicano de Exportaciones (CEDOPEX) latest report. Some 332 items generated US$193 million. Traditional goods – coffee, cocoa, sugar and tobacco – generated US$275 milion.
The principal markets for non-traditional Dominican exports were the United States, the European Union, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean islands. The items include 132 farming and some 200 agroindustrial products. The report indicates that non-traditional exports were up by 22%, with US$35 million more exported in 1995 than in 1994.
Among the non traditional exports are bananas, coconuts, pineapples, oranges, melons, avocados, pigeon peas, ornamental plants, cut flowers, peppers, honey, celery, eggs, yuca, tomatoes, maize, conch and coriander. Agroindustrial produce includes cocoa butter and processed tobacco.
Traditional exports, i.e., coffee, tobacco, cocoa, and sugar and its by-products increased in 1995 by 3.48%. Coffee exports generated US$81.5 million in 1995, cocoa US$54 million, sugar US$125 million and tobacco US$15 million. Sugar by products – molasses was up by US$10 million, syrup by US$3.5 million, and phurfural US$13.5 million.
Minerals generated US$287 million of which US$242 million was for ferronickel from Falconbridge and US$44 million for gold and silver mined by Rosario Dominicana.