Between September 2023 and 2024, 128 companies have been approved in the Dominican Republic. free zones to be installed in 18 provinces of the country. With these new companies, 18,540 jobs are expected to be created and 267.2 million dollars will be invested.
The data was offered by the executive director of the Export and Investment Center of the Dominican Republic (ProDominicana), Biviana Riveiro, who explained that, among the provinces most favored with new companies in free zones are:
- Santiago with 57 approved companies, a projection of 6,496 jobs and an estimated investment of 101.6 million dollars.
- For Saint Dominic and the National District 29 companies were approved, with a projected investment of 69.8 million dollars and it is estimated that it will generate 4,372 jobs.
- Another province that will have new business facilities is Saint Christopher with 10. These companies would have an estimated investment of 44.8 million dollars and are expected to generate 2,357 new jobs.
- San Pedro de Macoris continues on the list with eight new companies free zones approved.
“I think that these are important elements to highlight within these provinces that are emerging as those great provinces where the free zones“said the official.
Exports of the sector free zones
The exports of the regime free zones For the period January – October 2024, they amount to 7,268.72 million dollars, presenting an increase of 7.71%, compared to the same period in 2023.
According to Commerce Magazine General Directorate of Customs (DGA), 51.86% of those exports belong to consumer goods, 32.93% to capital goods, while the remaining 15.21% to raw materials.
The data show that 83.74% of the exports of free zones It is concentrated in 10 tariff chapters:
- Optical instruments and apparatus, photography (22.00%)
- Tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes (15.44%)
- Machines, electrical appliances (13.64%)
- Fine or cultured pearls, precious stones (8.90%)
- Garments and clothing accessories, knitted (7.26%)
- Pharmaceutical products (6.04%)
- Plastic materials and their manufactures (4.70%)
- Cocoa and its preparations (2.50%)
- Footwear, gaiters, booties and similar articles (1.78%)
- Cotton (1.48%).
- The rest of the chapters represent 16.26%.
Main destinations of the exports
90.26% of the exports of free zones It is concentrated in 10 destination countries, highlighting:
- United States with a participation of 72.75%
- Puerto Rico (4.70%)
- Haiti (3.55%)
- Netherlands (2.79%)
- China (1.72%)
- Germany (1.40%)
- Spain (0.97%)
- Belgium (0.86%)
- United Kingdom (0.77%)
- Italy (0.75%)
- The rest of the countries represent 9.74%.
