Dominican Republic coconut industry development

The Dominican Republic is seeking to expand its presence in the global coconut industry to meet an international demand growing by more than 10% annually. At the inaugural DominiCoco summit, officials noted that while domestic cultivation has grown by over 10% annually for the last four years, the sector faces significant challenges. Currently, the industry includes over 5,000 registered producers and approximately 880,000 tareas of cultivated land, with production concentrated in Samaná, María Trinidad Sánchez, La Altagracia, and Monte Plata.

Osmar Benítez, president of the Dominican Agro-Industrial Board (JAD), indicated that the nation could increase its market share by integrating new technologies and developing higher-value derivatives such as coconut water, oil, milk, and cream. While the country successfully exports coconut cream and milk to the United States, the local industry remains reliant on raw material imports, totaling approximately US$83 million over the last five and a half years. Benítez suggested that prioritizing development could allow the country to reach up to $300 million in coconut exports.

Domestically, coconut water consumption and availability are expanding across markets, supermarkets, and highways, with approximately ten industries currently involved in processing and packaging the beverage. This growth is driven by rising consumer interest in healthy, nutritional alternatives, particularly among younger populations. To sustain long-term growth, stakeholders aim to address limited access to irrigation, financing, and technical assistance, while working to attract younger workers to an aging producer population.