Minister of Agriculture Angel Estevez says that cacao exports reached US$261.5 million in 2014-2015. This represents a 5.8% increase over the previous 12-month period. Estevez says there are ample opportunities for exports to increase because the market is growing. An estimated 40,000 families in rural areas depend on cacao for their livelihoods.
The minister spoke of the challenge ahead for the DR to introduce measures to increase productiveness to continue being the world leader in organic cacao exports.
He was speaking during the first meeting of the National Cacao Platform, which was also attended by representatives of the United Nations Development Program and the National Cacao Commission. The objective of the platform is to ensure that DR cacao exports secure a greater international market share.
The plan is for the National Cacao Commission to install plant nurseries with higher yield plants to renew aging plantations belonging to small and medium-sized producers.
Cacao Commission director Juan Cuello and Lorenzo Jimenez de Luis of the UNDP concurred that the DR has an opportunity to increase cacao exports because the market is growing due to new demand from India and China.