Dominican Republic: Good packaging is key for export fruit to Russia
The Dominican Republic successfully exports its fruits to neighboring countries. According to the Ce…The Dominican Republic successfully exports its fruits to neighboring countries. According to the Center for Export and Investment of the Dominican Republic (CEI-RD), the country annually exports 390 million dollars in fruits and vegetables, most of which are sent to the Greater Caribbean area and to the East Coast of the United States.
However, logistics change for the producers of fruits and vegetables in the northern region of the Dominican Republic when they start packaging and shipping 250 boxes (of 100 kg each) to Russia, as a journey to that destination can take about 40 days.
Henri Hebrard, the director of the Export Platform of the Dominican-French Chamber of Commerce in the Dominican Republic, said that the clusters of small producers of mango and macadamia have been applying high biotechnology and innovative conservation processes since 2013 that allow the mango, avocado, nuts, and other similar products to arrive in good conditions to Moscow.
Before, the fruits were packed in thick sterilized plastic bags. For the last three years, the tendency to vacuum pack the fruits and vegetables, so that they maintain their value throughout time and amid the ravages of sea travel, has increased.
"The fruit, especially the organic one, can't be processed, so the way producers pack it is key," said Hebrard. This methods are at least 30% more expensive; however, the possibility of shipping the fruits farther opens up a market for Dominican producers, whose land does not exceed 50,000 square meters.
Macadamia nuts are dehydrated in propane gas ovens, so that their flavor doesn't change by the time they reach the United States, where they are sold for US $5 per kilogram. Jesus Moreno, the president of Macadamia La Loma, stated that domestic production surpassed 300,000 pounds. "The clusters and the chamber enable small producers to individually access this vacuum packaging system," Hebrard said.