The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic, Roberto Alvarez, confirmed that the country had sent a shipment of avocados, pitahayas, and pineapples to the United Arab Emirates. He also stated that this was the first time that the country sent avocados and pitahayas to this destination.
The Piña Bonita pineapples, the avocados from Ocoa Avocados, and the pitahayas from Tropihaya are already available at the shelves of LuLu Hypermarkets -one of the largest retailer chains in Asia and the largest retailer chain in the Middle East- thanks to the Dominican company YSM Capital SRL and the Emirati company Blue Bay Trade.
The Dominican Republic is able to produce avocado throughout the whole year thanks to its different production areas, altitudes, and varieties, and it is the second-largest producer of this fruit in the world, only behind Mexico.
According to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in 2019 the Dominican Republic produced a total of 661,626 tons of avocados, accounting for 9% of the world's production. In addition, the country's avocado exports totaled more than $ 60 million.
The country exports its pineapple to the United States and Europe -especially Spain, Italy, France, and the Netherlands- as well as to the Caribbean. However, their main destination is Israel, with almost 3.6 million dollars a year.
The authorities of the agricultural sector have significantly promoted pitahaya crops in the Dominican Republic with the aim of increasing exports through diversification. Currently, there are nearly 38 hectares of pitahayas in the country, which could generate a production worth approximately RD $ 19.8 million each year.
Since 2013, Dominican exports to the United Arab Emirates have increased from $ 2,311 million in 2013 to nearly $ 12,500 million in 2020.
Source: revistamercado.do