Record US pork exports to Dominican Republic

In 2006, the last year in which U.S. pork was subject to the DR’s 25% most-favored-nation tariff rate, U.S. exports were just over 4,000 metric tons, valued at $6.6 million. By 2010, exports more than quadrupled in volume and reached $38 million in value and in 2020, shipments reached nearly 40,000 mt valued at more than $90 million. U.S. exports to the DR were record-shattering in 2022, coming in at 85,550 mt (up 46% from 2021), with value reaching $ 233.6 million (up 55%), according to USDA data compiled by USMEF. African swine fever (ASF) sparked a significant decline in the DR’s domestic pork industry and the impact does not appear to be short-lived. With nationwide control and eradication efforts ongoing, swine production in the DR fell by 28% year-over-year in 2022 and an additional 9% decline is projected in 2023, according to data available from USDA Foreign Agricultural Service. USMEF estimates that the DR’s self-sufficiency in pork production decreased from 61% in 2020 ...