Minister of Industry and Commerce Jose del Castillo Savinon says that formal trade between Haiti and the Dominican Republic has fallen by some US$400 million so far this year. The minister says that the decline in exports to the neighboring country was caused by the restrictive measures that the Haitian government imposed on 23 Dominican products. The Haitian government is only allowing these imports in by sea or airports, banning land imports.
When interviewed by Diario Libre reporters at the Presidential Palace on Wednesday, 15 June 2016, Del Castillo Savinon said that it is now clear to the Haitian authorities that the ban on land imports has created greater levels of informality in bi-national trade relations. He said there is much more contraband at all the border points now, which does not benefit Dominicans or Haitians.
The Minister said that although traders have maintained the same sales levels, exports are now entering Haiti as contraband.
