The 15-nation European Union (EU) has increased the DR’s import quota for bananas from 55,000 to 65,000 metric tons. This, taken together with the 15,000 crates of bananas now sent weekly to Puerto Rico, will mean that 90% of the DR’s production will be absorbed this year by exports, reports the Association of Northeast Banana Producers. The exports to PR in part reflect the damage done to banana plantations there by Hurricane Georges, which did not hurt many Dominican plantations. The EU quota increase is attributed not only to the price and quality of Dominican bananas, but also because the DR has supported the EU in its trade dispute with the U.S. over EU banana import restrictions. The new quota gives the DR about 8% of the EU’s imports total import quota of 800,000 metric tons.
