Acoprovi reports zero growth in construction sector for 2023

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Association of Home Builders and Developers (Acoprovi) has announced a standstill in growth for the construction sector in 2023. Engineer Annerys Meléndez, president of Acoprovi, highlighted the sector’s significant contribution to the Gross Domestic Product, with housing construction forming a major part of this.

In an interview with Héctor Herrera Cabral on the D’AGENDA program, Meléndez described 2023 as a challenging year, impacted by high interest rates and inflation. However, recent months have seen a reduction in both, leading to some revitalization in the sector. Despite a positive growth of over 5% in October compared to the previous year, the overall annual growth is expected to be negligible.

Meléndez noted a downturn in sales earlier in the year, despite efforts by monetary authorities to stimulate the sector through the release of reserve requirements and Rapid Liquidity Funds. The latter part of the year has seen an improvement, reflecting broader economic trends affecting various sectors.

Looking forward, Meléndez remains hopeful, anticipating that interest rates might stabilize at pre-pandemic levels, beneficial for healthy construction activity. She urged all stakeholders, including banks, suppliers, and importers, to support the construction sector by responding positively to international decreases and assisting buyers with favorable interest rates for home purchases.