The Dominican Republic has emerged as a powerhouse in the Caribbean egg export market, and now offers the lowest egg prices across the entire continent. This impressive performance is detailed in the “Datos Productivos Latam 2024” report, compiled by the Latin American Egg Institute (ILH) of the Latin American Poultry Association (ALA), as reported in N Digital.
The report highlights that the Dominican Republic exports a remarkable 20.73% of its total egg production, amounting to 820 million units. This makes the nation the top proportional exporter in the Caribbean. Pavel Concepción, president of the Dominican Poultry Association (ADA), emphasized that the country accounts for 45.77% of all eggs exported from the Caribbean region. He attributes this leadership to a modern, highly technical, and efficient production infrastructure that has allowed the Dominican Republic to outpace even larger Latin American economies.
Local consumption is also up, as eggs have become the most affordable protein in the DR. Dominican Republic boasts the lowest average price per dozen eggs on the continent, for US$1.87. This stands in stark contrast to prices in countries like the USA (US$4.95), Uruguay (US$5.55) and Chile (US$3.86). The affordability of eggs has spurred significant domestic consumption, with Dominicans consuming an average of 293 eggs per person annually, placing the country fifth in Latin America for per capita egg consumption.
Concepción also underscored the robust growth of the country’s poultry sector, encompassing both egg and chicken production. Currently, the Dominican Republic produces 22.5 million chickens monthly, a million more than in 2024, fully meeting national demand with regionally recognized quality standards.
He stressed the critical role of public-private collaboration in the sector’s sustained growth and urged the Dominican government to prioritize national poultry products in public procurement programs, particularly for social welfare initiatives and the National Institute of Student Welfare (Inabie) that buys eggs for public school meals.
“It’s essential that Dominican eggs and chicken are integrated as a priority into social and school programs,” Concepción stated. “This not only strengthens our food security but also expands our positioning in international markets.”
Looking ahead, the ADA president announced that the industry plans to invest over RD$7 billion in 2025. These investments include the construction of a cold storage park with a capacity for eight million pounds of chicken and an egg processing plant. The latter will enable the production of liquid and powdered egg products, opening new avenues in both national and international markets.
Concepción concluded by noting that the ILH has recognized the Dominican Republic as an exemplary model in Latin America. The country’s success in combining high production volume, accessible prices, and elevated domestic consumption means that eggs represent just 1.76% of the average family’s expenditure.
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N Digital
1 July 2025