According to the Dominican Competitive Observatory, the Barometer for the Manufacturing and Free Zone Sector in the Dominican Republic shows that the country heads the list for free zone exports amongst DR-CAFTA trade agreement countries.
The report states that in 2016, the DR exported US$5.30 billion in medical equipment, textiles, electrical products, tobacco, shoes and other manufactured goods.
Medical equipment represented 25.3% of the total free zone exports, textiles 20.6%, electrical products 14.1%, tobacco 14.1% and footwear 8%.
Of DR-CAFTA countries, Costa Rica was next, with its free zones having exported US$4.9 billion, Honduras US$3.95 billion, Guatemala US$3.34 billion, Nicaragua US$2.60 billion and El Salvador US$1.15 billion.
There are 647 companies operating in export free zones throughout the country that generate 161,948 jobs, representing 3.67% of the total workforce in the Dominican Republic.
Read more in Spanish:
Al Momento
Competitividad
5 April 2017
