Sugar sector cuts reliance on foreign labor as mechanization hits 70%

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic’s sugar industry has undergone a major transformation over the past five years, with mechanized sugarcane harvesting increasing from just 1% to 70%, significantly boosting productivity while sharply reducing the sector’s dependence on foreign labor.

The progress was highlighted during a meeting at the National Palace between President Luis Abinader and executives from the country’s leading sugar mills, where they discussed the industry’s performance and its role in the national economy.

Representatives from Central Romana, Ingenio CAEI, and Ingenio Barahona attended the meeting alongside Minister of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs Eduardo Sanz Lovatón.

According to officials, the expansion of mechanized harvesting has improved operational efficiency and replaced the need for thousands of foreign workers previously employed in cutting sugarcane. Government and industry leaders emphasized that continued modernization is strengthening the competitiveness and sustainability of one of the Dominican Republic’s key productive sectors.