Of all citrus sown in the Dominican Republic, the lemons They head the list of production Nationally, with about 330,000 land tasks for this crop. This has allowed, only between 2020 and 2024, the country to export 11,539 tons of lemonsaccording to data registered by the Lemon cluster.
Its president, Félix Adalberto Bautista, ensures that citrus growers can increase their productivity -What currently ranges between 24 and 30 tons per task- to, to the same extent, raise the potential of export of this fruit Thanks to varieties improved that are being introduced into the country and that would do it more competitive.
“The more we produce, the more capacity to export We will have, “said Bautista in the opening of the Fourth International Congress of Citrus 2025, an event that began yesterday and will continue until Friday as a space for producers to exchange technical knowledge updated and know the latest technologies in the production of citrus.
Only last year, the country exported 2,005 tons of this fruitmainly towards USA (which acquired 960 tons) and the Netherlands (which bought 921 during that period). Other nations, such as France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Costa Rica, Turkish Islands and Caicos and Curacao, acquired volumes below 30 tons.
Added value
Sales of the main varietiesas are the Creole lemon (Citrus Aurantifolia), Persian lemon (Citrus X Latifolia) and Limón Eureka (Citrus X Limon) generated foreign exchange for 9,037,009 dollars during the aforementioned fourrencies, according to statistics from the Export and Investment Center of the Dominican Republic (Prodominicana).
According to this institution, the volumes sent abroad contributed 1.4 million dollars to the economy In 2024, which represented a decline of 33 % compared to the previous year (2.1 million dollars) due, among other factors, to the decline of 609 tons compared to 2,614 tons exported in 2023.
Production
Bautista said that around 50,000 tons of lemons a year to supply the local market and export Towards countries such as Haiti, on whose land border the sale of up to 20,000 bags every month of Creole lemon is achieved.
Although lemon is a citrus whose sowing thrives in all municipalities in the country, the best lemon quality It is taking place in high areas, said the producer, who indicated that Provinces such as San José de las Matas, San Juan de la Maguana, Constanza and Jarabacoa allocate about 30,000 tasks sown with this fruitwhile Azua is around 20,000 tasks sown.
Recover the citrus
In addition to encouraging lemon, the cluster seeks recover sowing others citrus like oranges, grapefrues and mandarins through the planting of genetically improved seeds that are resistant to the Huanggongbing (HLB), a disease that has drastically reduced the production of these fruits since its detection in 2008.
The patterns of this genetic material, imported from the state of California, in USAthey will graft local plantations, thus guaranteeing their resistance. This will be done in Greenhousessince they reduce the exposure of citrus to this and other diseases that affect them.
In order to raise the production of the fruit in the country and, at the same time, increase export volumes, the lemon cluster and the agricultural bank signed an agreement to allocate up to 340 million pesos in lemon financing.
The resources will impact up to 244 producers, and are focused on the technification of up to 10,000 tasks (1,000 hectares) of lemons, in the rehabilitation of existing plantations, and the rescue of sweet citrus fruits such as oranges, tangerines and grapefruits.
This project will promote the productivity of the fruit, ensure the plant health of plantations to prevent diseases and ensure that farms for this crop are sustainable over time.
