The Russian Federation, with over 140 million inhabitants, is open to sourcing fruits, vegetables and other farm products from the Dominican Republic, according to reporter Evaristo Rubens of Hoy. There are 12 weekly direct flights from Punta Cana, making transport less of a problem. Virginia Velazquez, Honorary Consul of the Russian Federation in the Dominican Republic, said that there “is a great interest in Russia regarding imports of Dominican products to that market.”
According to the article in Hoy, the reason is simple: Russia is a cold country that does not produce any tropical fruits such as pineapples, bananas, passion fruit, mangoes, papayas, avocados, melons or coconuts. Short-cycle vegetables are only grown during the short Russian summer, and so they are looking for alternate sourcing.
http://www.hoy.com.do/el-pais/2013/6/25/487002/Rusia-quiere-frutas-y-vegetales-de-RD-desea-asociarse-en-pais