Dominican Republic: COVID-19 Impact on the Dominican Republic Agricultural Sector-May 2020

On March 1, 2020, the Dominican Republic (DR) acknowledged its first case of COVID-19. As of May 28, the DR has 16,068 confirmed cases. The Dominican agricultural sector continues to operate under complicated circumstances, and in response, the Dominican government has implemented assistance programs to businesses and consumers to alleviate the situation. Dairy, poultry, and fruits and vegetables have been the most affected by lost markets, notably in the tourism sector, with reduced sales and lack of access to sales channels. U.S. imports continue to flow normally into the country and are expected to continue at least in the near term. Various sources indicate prices of food products have increased between 8-12 percent. On May 19, President Medina announced a four-phase plan for gradually re-opening the economy.

Dominican Republic: COVID-19 Impact on the Dominican Republic Agricultural Sector-May 2020