Santiago de los Caballeros.- The Dominican Republic’s tobacco industry is expected to create more than 110,000 direct jobs and thousands of indirect jobs by 2025, according to Iván Hernández Guzmán, director of the Tobacco Institute (Intabaco). The sector remains a major driver of employment, with leading companies such as La Aurora, La Tabacalera, Swisher Dominicana, Imperial Tobacco, Occidental Cigars, and La Flor Dominicana contributing significantly, particularly in Santiago, the province with the highest concentration of manufacturing facilities.
Hernández Guzmán highlighted that tobacco and its derivatives represent the largest source of employment within the country’s free trade zones, employing 40,086 people. This surpasses other industries such as call centers, textiles, medical equipment, and electrical products, according to data from Adozona. The tobacco crop is cultivated in 15 provinces, including Santiago, La Vega, Puerto Plata, and Monte Cristi, reinforcing its importance in the agricultural and export sectors.
Speaking at the “Dominican Cigar Tasting” event during the National Agricultural Fair, Hernández Guzmán reaffirmed Intabaco’s commitment to supporting cigar producers. The institution will continue offering free training, agricultural inputs such as seeds, insecticides, and fertilizers, and facilitating financing for small and medium-sized producers through agreements with the Agricultural Bank and other financial institutions. These efforts aim to sustain the high quality of Dominican cigars and strengthen the industry’s global standing.
