Foreign Minister Miguel Vargas Maldonado highlighted that 25% of the freight containers that bring imported goods to the Dominican Republic return empty. He said freight container cargo movement at Dominican ports has tripled since 2000 going from 566,579 containers (20 feet) to 1,795,221 in 2014. 75% of goods are transported by sea. Vargas spoke at the luncheon of the Dominican Shippers Association (ANRD) on Thursday, 6 April 2017.
Adding to Maldonado’s comments, Teddy Heinsen, president of ANRD, said this is evidence the country needs to invest more in exports and find more markets for local products to reduce the trade deficit.
During the 10 years of the implementation of the DR-CAFTA trade agreement, the Dominican Republic has accumulated a trade deficit with the United States of US$27.23 billion. Imports have been US$69.19 billion compared to exports of US$41.95 billion.
Read more in Spanish:
El Caribe
Diario Libre
Hoy
Hoy
El Nacional
7 April 2017
