In the first eight months of this year, free zone exports were up 2.5%. The Dominican Republic exported US$5.36 billion from January through August 2023, compared to US$5.23 billion in 2022.
The executive director of the National Council of Free Trade Zones (CNZFE), Daniel Liranzo says exports from free zones in August 2023 were US$672.9 million, up 1.5%, compared to August 2022.
Liranzo said almost all productive subsectors of free zones registered increases in the value of their exports in the January-August period. The most dynamic were: plastics (36.8%), agroindustrial products (17.3%), apparel (9.1%), medical and pharmaceutical products (6.7%) and electrical and electronic products (1.0%).
He highlighted that the sector currently represents over 60% of the country’s total exports. Free zone exports are expected to exceed US$8 billion by the end of 2023.
The free zone sector employs 196,652 persons in direct jobs. The tobacco industry is the largest generator of jobs, with 42,836 jobs. Services employ 39,600; apparel employs 35,529; medical and pharmaceutical products with 31,895; electrical and electronic products, 10,742, among others.
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CNZFE
27 September 2023