Imports from Haiti to the Dominican Republic dropped sharply by 48.83% during the first five months of 2025 compared to the same period last year, according to preliminary figures from the Dominican Republic-Haiti Bilateral Trade Report published by the Customs Agency (DGA). The imports reflect a decline in free trade manufacturing.
From January to May 2025, Dominican imports from its neighboring country totaled just US$4.12 million, a steep decline from the US$8.2 million recorded during the same stretch in 2024.
The report notes that imports under the free trade zone regime saw a year-on-year decline of 51.67%, while those classified under the “consumption dispatch” regime actually surged by 113.39%.
By trade regime, free trade zones accounted for the vast majority—92.82%—of imports, with the remaining 7.18% falling under the consumption dispatch category.
The concentration of goods under these regimes was particularly high. In the free trade zones, five products made up 98.10% of imports. Leading the list were knit t-shirts and undershirts (76.39%), followed by textile-based rags, cords, and ropes (15.10%), and other cotton fabrics (2.60%).
Similarly, within the national regime, 85.08% of imports were concentrated in just five items. Ethyl alcohol (undistilled and under 80% alcohol by volume) topped the list at 32.88%, followed by textile rags, cords, and ropes (20.60%), and insecticides, rodenticides, and related pest control products (20.01%).
While Haitian imports continue to fall, in general, Dominican exports to Haiti remain on the rise, despite the ongoing political, economic, and social crisis affecting the country.
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El Dia
26 June 2025