the minister of Industry, Commerce and Mipymes (MICM), Víctor Bisonó, highlighted the great parts of the tobacco free zones in the economic recovery with the boost of exports of this item that amounted to 1,236 million dollars in 2021, which represents a growth of 30 percent, compared to 2019.
Within the framework of the inauguration of the tobacco companies Manojos Tobacco Process and Insight Pack International, in Santiago de los Caballeros, which was headed by the Vice President of the Republic, Raquel Peña, Minister Bisonó pointed out that one of the reasons that explains the strengthening of This sector is the commitment of the government of President Luis Abinader, through the Tobacco Industry Relaunch Plan.
According to him Central bank, Between 2010 and 2020, the Dominican tobacco industry exported nearly 7.3 billion dollars from the entire national geography, of which almost 90 percent corresponded to the northern region, the minister said.
He indicated that the sector’s exports exceeded the Central Bank’s own expectations, which had been estimated at 1,000 million dollars for last year.
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He indicated that with the Relaunch Plan, the recovery of jobs lost due to the pandemic and the creation of new jobs have been achieved, within the framework of the most ambitious economic reactivation plan “that the country has ever seen.”
He added that the next step corresponds to the promotion of productive linkages throughout the tobacco marketing chain and to encourage tobacco planting in the country.
He stated that, at the beginning of his administration, there were 130 thousand jobs and by November of last year, that figure had increased to 180 thousand jobs; “These are the best numbers that have been seen in the last 15 years and reaffirm the president’s commitment to continue supporting the sector,” the minister stressed.
He recalled that in the face of the threat posed to the tobacco sector by the tax measures contained in the “Build Back Better Act” of the United States, the government determined a visit to the city of Washington DC last October. After sensitizing US congressmen about the regional impact of these measures and the possible loss of thousands of jobs, they annulled the provisions related to tobacco.
“This is a clear example that the sector benefits when defense strategies are clear and have a government that assumes them,” said Bisonó.
He predicts growth of the sector in 2022
The MICM minister asserted in his speech that in 2022 the tobacco industry will continue to grow.
Manojos is a company dedicated to processing and flavoring tobacco for the mechanized cigar industry. The company’s executives announced an investment of 28 million dollars and that this year they will double the jobs generated in their facilities, so they expect to close 2022 with 300 direct jobs.
In the case of Insight Pack International, one of the most modern flexible packaging companies in the Caribbean, they made an investment of 12 million dollars and expect to close the year with 180 jobs.
