Dominican Republic exports to Haiti in 2010 double to US$462 Million

Dajabón, Dominican Republic.- Customs director Rafael Camilo revealed Thursday that Dominican exports to Haiti last year topped US$462.0 million, which makes it Dominican Republic’s most important trade partner, over Puerto Rico and the United States.

He said wheat flour, soybean oil, rice, natural water, crackers, pasta, bananas and chicken parts are some of the products most sold to Haiti.

Camilo, speaking during the ribbon cutting for the new Customs and Immigration offices in Dajabón (northwest), said construction products such as cement, rebar, tin roofing and stainless steel cables are another important line pf trade between the two nations.

The facilities were built at a cost RD$37 million for Customs (25 million in infrastructure and 12 million in equipment), and the European Union provided RD$35.6 million.

“These new offices serve to expedite and make more transparent the trade on the border zones of both nations, separated by the Masacre river,” Camilo said.

The Customs chief said Dajabón is the second most important shipment port for the formal trade with our neighbors and that US$143.9 million were collected last year from exports, or 17.9 percent of the border region’s economic movement.

He added that U$227.6 million worth of products were exported to Haiti in 2009, compared with the U$462.2 million in 2010, a jump of 103.1 percent.

Original Article: http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/economy/2011/2/17/38646/Dominican-exports-to-Haiti-in-2010-double-to-US4620M