Dominican Republic food imports jump 17% in March to US$220.5 M

Santo Domingo.- Dominican Republic imported US$220.5 million FOB in foods in March, a 17% jump compared with February, with 230,400 tons mostly from 82 countries.

Industry and Commerce deputy minister Anina M. Del Castillo said 50.04% (RD$110.4 million) of all imports were corn, wheat, soybean oil, biscuits and other solid soybean derivatives, such as animal feed, and beef and pork from the US.

She said at US$8.8 million (3.99%), Colombia is the second market, with crude palm oil, non-alcoholic beverages, sweets, biscuits and canned fish.

Mexico is third with US$8.4 million or 3.84%, on imports of milk formula, biscuits, sweets and cereals; Netherlands ranks fourth with US$6.73 million (3.05%) on milk formula, cheese, powdered milk, processed foods and processed potatoes; Norway stood at US$6.16 million (2.79%) with salted codfish and salmon, Del Castillo said in the Internal Commerce monthly report.