Education pushes momentum for U.S. pork in Dominican Republic

U.S. pork exports to the Dominican Republic reached new heights last year and haven’t missed a beat in 2023. January exports climbed 28% year-over-year to more than 8,000 metric tons, while export value jumped 67% to nearly $24 million. Lucia Ruano, U.S. Meat Export Federation regional representative for Central America and the Dominican Republic, says consumer education efforts, funded by the USDA Market Access Program and the National Pork Board, have helped bolster demand for U.S. pork, which has a growing presence in the DR's rapidly expanding retail sector. "Dominican Republic is our major market at this moment in the region, and for us education is key. We are trying to teach everyone that pork is for the center of the plate, that is not only an ingredient to make processed products. And people are starting to enjoy the versatility of the products," Ruano says. "And now they have the availability of these products, not only in supermarket, but also in these meat boutiques, ...