During the year 2024, the National Council of Free Zonesled by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs (MICM), approved the installation of 74 new companies, which represents a total investment of 11,572,496,139.23 pesos and the projection of approximately 7,000 new jobs.
Growth in exports from free zones
Exports under the regime free zones They reached 7,974.05 million dollars between January and November 2024, reflecting a growth of 7.12% compared to the same period in 2023.
The composition of these exports is divided into consumer goods (51.88%), capital goods (33.00%) and raw materials (15.12%).
The most exported products correspond to the tariff chapters of:
- Optical and photographic instruments and apparatus (22.15%)
- Tobacco and substitutes (15.32%)
- Electrical machines and appliances (13.56%)
- Pearls, precious stones and similar (9.02%)
- Clothing (7.29%)
- Pharmaceutical products (5.98%)
- Plastic materials and manufacturing (4.71%)
The United States leads as the main destination of exportsconcentrating 72.88%, followed by Puerto Rico (4.78%) and Haiti (3.54%).
Current panorama of free zones
The data from the National Council of Free Zones of Exportation (Cnzfe) details that 820 export companies currently operate in the Dominican Republic. free zonesdistributed in 87 industrial parks and 28 provinces. These companies represent an accumulated investment of 7,496.2 million dollars, a notable growth compared to the 4,473.1 million dollars in 2017.
By sector, companies concentrate on services (191), tobacco and derivatives (152), textile manufacturing (106) and agro-industrial products (59), among others. Regarding the origin of capital, 40.4% corresponds to Dominican companies, followed by the United States (31.6%), Canada (3.3%) and Spain (1.8%).
MSMEs in the Dominican Republic
In the field of micro, small and medium-sized businesses (MSMEs), the MICM reported that 12,427 new businesses were formalized through the one stop shop of the MICM, strengthening the formal and sustainable economy of the country.
Additionally, 3,737 consultancies were provided in areas such as packaging design, trademark registration, management of social networks and business strategies, consolidating the competitiveness of small business owners.
In 2024, a total of 7,600 companies were certified as MSMEsof which 24% are led by women, highlighting gender inclusion in the business sector.
