Dominican Republic reaches record potato harvest

Santo Domingo.- In 2024, the Dominican Republic achieved a historic milestone in agriculture by harvesting 800,000 quintals of potatoes—the highest yield on record—according to a report by the Dominican Gastronomic Observatory (OGD). This success highlights the importance of potatoes in the national economy and food system.

Between 2019 and 2023, over 176,000 acres of potatoes were cultivated, resulting in 8.3 million quintals of production. This growth has been driven by collaboration among farmers, technicians, and both public and private institutions in the agri-food sector. Key producing regions in 2024 include the North Central areas of Santiago, La Vega, and Espaillat, along with the southern provinces of San Juan, San José de Ocoa, and Barahona.

Potato consumption also peaked in 2023, with 2.8 million quintals consumed domestically and a record per capita intake of 26.82 pounds—reflecting increased demand and consistent supply.