Dominican Tobacco exports to the United States increases by 50 percent
The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and MiPymes (MICM) highlighted that the tobacco exports grew more than 50% of Premium hand-made cigars from the Dominican Republic in January 2021, in relation to the same period in 2020.
“The data shows that we are working so that the tobacco sector lives its best moment and these figures are a sign that we are on the right track”, said Víctor –Ito- Bisonó, minister of Industry, Commerce, and MiPymes.
In a statement issued by the MICM, the entity argues that the Dominican Republic exported 5.9 million cigars in January 2021, surpassing that of 2020 when, in a context where the COVID-19 pandemic had not affected the markets and economy of recipient countries, only managed to move 2.4 million.
“To reactivate the economy, President Luis Abinader identified the key sectors through which our country, with concrete plans and clear goals, could overcome the crisis caused by COVID-19 and put all the government support so that in a few months, as we have seen, now with tobacco, but also with free zones, the Dominican Republic will see positive figures and surpass other countries”, he added.
Tobacco relaunch
In November 2020, the MICM launched a work plan to boost and maintain the Dominican Republic’s position as a world leader in tobacco exports, taking advantage of new opportunities that promote its growth and arrival in new markets, betting on the generation of local jobs and the dynamization of the Dominican economy.
The tobacco industry relaunch plan focuses on nine lines of work, which include financing, infrastructure, training, taxes, tobacco culture, international trade, production chains, anti-tobacco regulations, and eradication of illicit trade.
This plan is the result of a dialogue and consensus between the public and private sectors, where the government makes efforts to consolidate internationally an industry that generates more than 100,000 direct jobs and the livelihood of thousands of Dominican families.