Title: World Markets for Organic Fruit and Vegetables...

Espaol Franais

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Introduction Contemporary ideas of organic production were introduced into the Dominican Republic in the early 1980s, but it was not until the mid 1990s that production expanded. Organic production is now an important component of the agricultural sector. In 1999 organic produce was estimated to contribute about 20 percent of total agricultural exports with a value of US$9.6 million. In 2000, the value of organic exports had doubled to US$20.9 million. The Dominican Republic is currently one of the leading exporters of tropical organic products globally. Much of the information on organic production is either documented in grey literature or is still undocumented. Organic production in the country is clearly dominated by bananas which account for about 80 percent of all organic exports. 1. History of the organic sector in the Dominican Republic 1.1 Origins and pioneers The modern era of organic production in the Dominican Republic dates back to 1982. Mark Freedman established the first demonstration plot in Rio Limpio, Loma de Cabrera and this was later to form the basis for the Regional Centre for the study of new alternatives for Rural Areas (Centro Regional de Estudios de Alternativas Rurales (CREAR) . During this initial phase 1980-95, several other institutions were also involved in capacity building, notably: Centre for Sustainable Agriculture with Appropriate Technology (Centro de Agricultura Sostenible con Tecnologa Apropiada-CASTA ) in Villa Altagracia, Centre for Agriculture with Appropriate Technology for the Community (Centro de Agricultura con Tecnologa Apropiada para la Comunidad - CAOTACO ) in los Indios de Dajabon and Farmer School for Sustainable Agriculture (Escuela Campesina de Agricultura Sostenible ECAS) in Apolinar Perdomo de Neyba. Some of this early history is documented by Ornes (1987). Plantaciones Tropicales carried out the first commercial exports of organic produce in 1989. These comprised mainly export of bananas to Europe and to the United States. Subsequently they exported cocoa, coffee, coconuts and mangoes. In addition they were also involved in export of crude coconut oil. Savid S.A., began shipping organic bananas to Europe in 1994 from an area of 350 ha, produced by small farmers in Azua. Subsequently the company grew and is currently the largest exporter of organic produce in the Dominican Republic and provides technical and financial assistance to farmers. The Grupo de Desarrollo Rural Nacional (GRAN) , which is a community development organization, has also played a key role in the development of organic production in the Dominican Republic. Organic production rapidly expanded during the period 1995 onwards and, as discussed, many organizations became involved. 1.2 Support received

During the initial phase when ideas for organic production were being developed, support was mainly given by private foundations and the government. The growth of the industry was however market driven. Marketing companies such as Savid S.A. and Horizontes Orgnicos provide technical and financial assistance to farmers. Savid S.A. for instance, provides loans to cover up to 70 percent of production costs. This is possible because partners of Savid S.A. in Germany are able to guarantee cheaper loans externally. Horizontes Orgnicos also provides short- term loans mainly for purchase of inputs. 1.3 Main factors that drove output growth and conversion to organic farming Several external and internal factors contributed to the growth of organic production in the Dominican Republic, including: Market availability and high demand, particularly in Europe; High price premiums; Environmental concerns; Availability of resources from the international community to NGOs; Low pressure from black sigatoka in the case of bananas; and Low use of inputs. One of the key factors was the ready market for organic produce at a time when prices of conventional produce were low. Furthermore, recent years have seen an increased awareness and need for healthy food by consumers in developed countries leading to increased demand. Factors such as concerns over mad cow disease, which has received high publicity in Europe have spurred growth. Organic produce also fetched a higher price on the market, which was attractive for farmers. More generally, concerns about the impact of high input use on the environment have led to an increased awareness of the need to develop sustainable crop production practices. Organic farming has been promoted by both governmental and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) as a viable alternative. Against this background, resources were readily available to NGOs for the promotion of organic agriculture. The climatic conditions in the Dominican Republic were favourable for the development of organic agriculture. For instance, growth of bananas (the main export crop) was possible because of the low pressure from black sigatoka as much of the crop is grown in drier areas which do not favour disease spread. Generally it is important to note that many of the small scale farmers were using few inputs prior to conversion to organic agriculture mainly for economic reasons. However, this also meant that the switch to organic production did not require a major shift in ingrained 'bad habits' such as over-dependence on pesticides. The timing of the development of the organic sector in the Dominican Republic was perfect. From relatively small beginning in the early 1990s, it was possible to achieve rapid growth in the latter part of the decade when demand accelerated because many key issues including production and marketing had been resolved. 1.4 Main initial constraints While markets for organic produce have continued to grow, regular production of sufficient produce of high quality to satisfy demand has been a major hurdle to marketing organic produce. The market requires a steady and reliable supply. Generally, farmers face serious difficulty to obtain financial resources for investment in organic agriculture. It is difficult for many farmers to obtain credit and in any case interest rates in the Dominican Republic are extremely high. There is also a lack of qualified personnel to provide technical knowledge and support to farmers. The export market requires that strict controls are followed and many farmers who previously never kept records needed to adopt new practices. Small producers were poorly organized creating serious logistical problems. The lack of local certification organizations which would be recognized in developed markets meant

that this had to be done by external organizations. This is expensive and it would be impossible for many individual growers to afford the high cost. In some cases, there was a culture of relatively intense input usage and a general tendency to look for quick fix solutions, most of which were incompatible with organic production. While many farmers have been keen to adopt organic production for economic reasons, many have still not embraced the philosophy as a means of protecting the environment. 2. Institutions active in the organic sector at the national and local levels 2.1 Farmer organizations There are many farmer associations and cooperatives which are usually organized along crop themes. These vary in size from a few individual farmers to several hundred. In general many of these organizations are weak and although it is widely recognized that they can fulfil an important role, the independent nature of many Dominican Republic farmers precludes their rapid development. For the banana industry, Lopez (2000) lists the following: in Azua, Cooperativa Francisco del Rosario Snchez , (about 112 members), Cooperativa San Vicente de Paul (about 65 members), Asociacin de Productores de Bananas Orgnicos (about 140 members), others (about 380 members). In the northwest, Asociacin de Laguna salada (about 15 members), Asociacin de Amina (68 members) and the Asociacin de Productores Palo Verde (24 members). It is noteworthy that the Cooperativa Francisco del Rosario Snchez did at one point market produce directly. However, since being hit by Hurricane George, the Cooperative has not recovered. The Confederacin de Cacaocultores Dominicanos (CONACADO), a quasi government organization, brings together about 8 500 cocoa producers in nine regional associations and 4 000 coffee producers in eight regional blocks (Baldeyaque and Guerrero, 1999). GRAN assists about 1 100 coffee producers in 17 associations. There are several community groupings which are interested in organic agriculture. One of the most notable is to be found in San Jos de Ocoa and it focuses mainly on vegetable production. The group has been brought together by a catholic priest, Father Quinn and is apparently making tremendous progress. Although farmers in this community are not formally certified, their production system is widely recognized at the domestic level where all their produce is marketed. 2.2 Government agencies Two main governmental agencies involved in organic production are the Ministry of Agriculture and the Dominican Centre for Export Promotion (CEDOPEX). The Department for Agricultural Extension and Training has since 2000 embarked on an aggressive project focused principally on organic agriculture with support from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA). In addition, since 1997, the Ministry in collaboration with JICA has carried out research on organic production methods. Most notable was the research to adapt the Bocaschi composting approach at the Costanza Horticultural Experiment Station. 2.3 Foreign and international agencies (including NGOs) There are a few international and many local agencies involved in the development of organic production in the Dominican Republic (Table 1). Many NGOs have focused on production aspects (technical assistance and training). JICA in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture has undertaken research into various aspects of organic production and is presently supporting a nation-wide extension project. CEDAF and JAD are well-established organizations supporting research and extension activities.

Table 1: Other private/public national or international agencies involved in organic production Agency1 Local Agencies JAD CEDAF GRAN ADAO FAMA Local universities JICA HELVETAS
1

Type of agency NGO NGO NGO NGO NGO Public/private Development Assistance Development Assistance

Activity Research and extension Research, extension, coordination Extension, marketing, finance Coordination, policy support Training Capacity building Research, extension, finance, marketing Capacity building

International Agencies

See Annex 2 for details.

3. National standards and regulations 3.1 National standards The Ministry of Agriculture has set up a commission to develop national legislation. The Commission is made up of various stakeholders including representatives from both public and private institutions. The key driving force for the development of national legislation is the requirement by the European Union that suppliers of organic produce need national legislation by 2005. Recently, CONACADO has developed guidelines for organic cocoa and coffee production. This is a significant step forward in the development of national standards. 3.2 Certification and control of organic production Standards for the domestic market are non-existent and those used have been implemented on an ad hoc basis based on good farming practices. Thus, for example a specialist shop will buy produce from a farmer associated with San Jos de Ocoa community group because their reputation is well known. Generally all export requirements are regulated by the importing countries. 3.3 Certifiers operating in the country Several agencies certify organic produce in the Dominican Republic. However BCS KO-Garantie (Germany) controls about 90 percent of all certification in the country. The company has established a national office with trained technical staff to facilitate activities. Thus a certifier from Europe only visits once a month. The establishment of strong national presence and capacity has facilitated more effective provision of service and opens scope for development of a certification system for the local market. Other certifiers are: Demeter (Germany), FVO (United States), Imo Control (Germany, Switzerland), Suolo Italia (Italy), Skal (Netherlands), IBB (Brazil), QAI (United States). 4. Production of organic fruits and vegetables 4.1 Products: varieties, acreage, quantities, season, location The main export crops are bananas, coffee, cocoa, mangoes, coconuts, sugar, lemons and oranges, while vegetables are particularly important for the domestic

market. Details on these crops are given in Table 2. The growth in organic bananas as an export crop has been especially remarkable, almost doubling each year since 1997. Production during 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 was, 12 000, 20 000, 28 000 and 46 000 tonnes, respectively.
Table 2: The principal organic crops grown in the Dominican Republic Crop Banana Cocoa Acreage 1 125 ha 125 ha No of Farmers 1 725 500 Notes Grown mainly in the provinces of Azua, Valverde and Montecristi Two main types grown Snchez and Hispaniola accounting for 96% and 4% of exports respectively 31 875 ha and 8 500 producers. Grown in 9 provinces. Two varieties are grown, Typica and Caturra accounting for 80% and 20% of production respectively. Marketed mainly by CONACADO, Horizontes Orgnicos, Horizontes, Mercantiles, Miguel Melo CxA and GRAN. Grown in 9 provinces. Mainly grown in association with other tree crops such as cocoa 25-30 producers (80% for puree and 20% sold fresh) Approx. 300 producers. Grown in Samana province Grown in one scheme in La Altagracia prince Two main producers, Reno S.A with 17.5 ha and Plantaciones del Norte with 5.6 ha. The latter has plans to expand another 219 ha. Grown in the provinces of Snchez, Ramrez and Valverde

Coffee

1 406 ha

1 500

Orange Mango Lemon Coconut Sugar Pineapple

? 525 394 ha ? ?

? 18

* 28 ha - Grown in Vega Province

345 ?
* 23 ha

Source: BCS OKO Garantie (1999) except those marked with an asterisk are derived from reports in El Exportador (1999, No 115). 4.2 Type of producers, farm size and land ownership Organic production is carried out by individual households who are entirely dependent on agriculture as well as commercial producers who have large holdings. The farm sizes vary from very small holdings of around one ha to large commercial farms. An example of the size distribution of farms selling their produce through Savid S.A. is given in Table 3.
Table 3: Size distribution of farms producing organic banana and selling through SAVID S.A. Location North South 40 80 Percentage number of farmers in each category Small (1-5 ha) Medium (6-40 ha) 40 20 Large (41-60 ha) 20 Nil

4.3 Labour employed on the farm and gender issues

Most of the small farms (less than two ha), which are a majority, utilize family labour with only occasional employed labour at harvest time. All other farms require regular labour which comprises both men and women. Sixty percent of the labour is Haitian. For a majority of the small holder farmers, the whole family works on the farm. Generally the crop is perceived to belong to the men. There are very few women farmers, less than 2 percent in the case of those selling their products through Horizontes Orgnicos and this reflects the position nationally. There is some division of labour in the case of bananas with men working mainly in the field and women mainly in packing. It is not clear whether the same applies to other crops. 4.4 Production constraints There are several significant constraints to organic production and these may vary from one crop to another. Pest management is generally a major problem. In banana, control of yellow and black sigatoka and crown rot are seen as major constraints. In vegetable production whiteflies are regarded as the greatest constraint. Provision of adequate nutrients is also seen as a major problem mainly due to lack of organic material for composting. Availability of water for irrigation and maintenance of irrigation equipment particularly for banana production can be a constraint. Lack of technical knowledge and technical backup appears to be a problem. Start-up costs as well as costs for rehabilitation, particularly following the devastation of Hurricane George, are a major constraint to production. 4.5 Role of producer organizations Generally, producer organizations have been very weak and their impact has been limited. Some of the reasons for this have been alluded to above. However, such associations are seen as important in order to develop a critical mass of production capability and to allow for more effective access to common needs such as water for irrigation and technical knowledge. The higher level organizations such as CONACADO play an important role in the whole range of activities from production to the market. This includes farmer organization, technical support, credit and actual marketing of produce. CONACADO has also been involved in development of organic regulations. 4.6 Existing support to production The Government has embarked on an aggressive campaign to develop organic production nationally. The focus of the project is improvement of farmer training and technical assistance. The activities under the project will be phased at different temporal and spatial scales. Initially the focus will be on the regional level and will involve research aimed at demonstrating organic production techniques. This will then be expanded to the zonal and sub-zonal level when 125 demonstration plots will be established and a cadre of extensionists trained. Some of the exporting companies provide technical assistance to farmers. For instance, EKOBAN, a subsidiary of Savid S.A. has this as a priority activity. Other companies/organizations such as CONACADO, Horizontes Orgnicos , GRAN etc. also provide support for extension. Various other institutions are involved in capacity building at different levels and these have been discussed above. A few of the marketing companies also offer financial support to production, particularly for the purchase of inputs. There are at least four local private companies involved in production and import of inputs to supply the organic sector (Citrex Dominicana, ECOCIBAO, BioLiga and FAMA). They supply organic nutrients and acceptable pest management interventions such as biological control agents and organic pesticides.

5. Marketing organic fruit and vegetables 5.1 Domestic markets Many rural households consume food that is essentially "organic". However, in the contemporary sense of the term, there is a fledgling domestic market comprising consumers in the large cities and the tourist industry. Products are sold directly by farmers at the markets. Although organic produce may be offered at one and a half to two times the price of conventional produce, the general situation is that both are sold at the same price. This is because the local market is not well organized and consumers are generally less aware. The present volume of products on the domestic market is difficult to estimate, but it is small. Although no specific studies assess the growth potential of the domestic market, anecdotal evidence suggests that it has enormous scope for growth particularly if the problem of quality and reliability of supply can be resolved. Demand exists in the rapidly growing tourist industry as well as with the local urban population which is becoming increasingly health conscious. In addition, there is an urgent need to develop regulations and mechanisms for certifying and labelling produce for the domestic market. In order to increase local consumption, the Ministry of Agriculture with assistance from JICA (Japan International Aid Agency), is establishing a physical structure in Santo Domingo to be dedicated to the sale of organic produce to local consumers. Opinions on whether or not this will generate interest and increased consumption are varied. It has been suggested that expanding distribution and sale of produce through existing retail outlets would have a more rapid impact. In addition, there is a growing group of consumers who obtain organic produce from specialist shops. However, this is still quite a small component. 5.2 Exports 5.2.1 Products and quantities exported The main products exported are fresh bananas and cocoa (Table 4). However, there has been a consistent increase in number of products traded each year and this trend is expected to continue, particularly with tropical fruits. It is also notable that some products are traded in a semi processed form, such as mango puree and concentrated juice. Based on figures from Savid S.A, the value of some of the products may in fact be much higher than those quoted by CEDOPEX (Jetta van den Berg pers. comm). Thus for instance based on these figures, the value of dry coconut was US$130,000 and US$110,000 respectively for 1999 and 2000. For fresh bananas the value was US$1.6 and 2.2 million for the respective period, while for mango puree, quantities exported in 1999 and 2000 were 195 and 128 metric tons for a value of US$195,000 and $176,000 respectively. The value of fresh mango exports in 2000 was $211,000. In view of the fact that Savid exports a large proportion of some of these products, their data is credible.
Table 4: Products and quantities exported in 1999 and 2000 Crop Metric Tonnes Dry coconut Fresh banana Biodynamic banana Pineapple Lemons 13 14 292 28 363 Year 1999 Value FOB (US$000s) 56 8 093 Metric Tonnes 282 45 830 1 046 3 20 Year 2000 Value FOB (US$000s) 93 13 876 211 1 18

Green coffee Herbs Crude coconut oil Cocoa beans Cocoa butter Mango puree Fresh mango Jagua juice Fruit juice Cocoa liqueur Total

69

193 <1

257 4 26 5 206 214 195 188 3 13 61

667 3 6 5192 455 153 94 1 6 90 20 870

920 11 37

1 217 4 25

29 705

9 601

53 347

Source: CEDOPEX and current FOB (see Annex I for details) 5.2.2 Marketing channels The marketing channels are reasonably well defined particularly because of the need for certification. In the case of bananas, products are sold directly through about five main exporting companies, with an exception of Plantaciones del Norte, which grows and markets its own produce. GRAN, a community development organization, has also been actively involved in marketing produce. The main companies involved in export of organic produce from the Dominican Republic are listed in Table 5. The biggest one is Savid S.A which is focused mainly on bananas but is involved in export of mango and coconuts as well.
Table 5: Companies involved in export and or processing of organic produce Company 1 Americo Melo and Co. C.X.A Caribbean fruit Caribex Dominicana Confederacin Nacional de Cacaocultores Ecofair S.A Y/O Supliban S.A. Grupo de Desarrollo Rural Grupo de Desarrollo Rural Nacional, Inc. Horizontes Orgnicos C.X.A Plantaciones del Norte Reno, S.A. Savid S.A.
1

Products Coffee Banana Mango Puree Coffee, cocoa butter Bananas Green Coffee Coffee Bananas, Coconut Oil, mangoes, coffee, cocoa Bananas, pineapple Fresh pineapple Bananas, mangoes, coconuts

Procesadora de Caa Orgnica, Cruz Verde Sugar syrup, sugar, molasses

See Annex 2 for details.

5.2.3 Countries of destination The number of countries to which organic produce is exported has been increasing steadily. During the year 2000, products were exported to at least 21 countries in the Caribbean, North America, Europe and Asia. Over 80 percent of the produce was exported to Europe. The main markets by volume were the United Kingdom and Belgium followed by the United States, Germany, the Netherlands and Italy in decreasing order (Figure 1 and Annex I). A significant share of the products shipped to Belgium were re-exported to other EC countries. In terms of number of different products shipped, these ranged from one to ten. Ten products were

exported to the United States and the Netherlands, eight to Germany. The number of products shipped to the United Kingdom, Belgium, Italy, Canada and St. Martin ranged from 4-5. The number of products in all other countries ranged from 1-3. Figure 1. Destination by volume of organic products from the Dominican Republic during 2000

5.2.4 Type of customers For banana and other fresh fruit, produce is sold directly to ripeners or to supermarkets. Savid S.A. for instance sells most of its produce in the United Kingdom to ripeners and directly to supermarkets in Germany and Switzerland. In Germany some produce is sold to "green shops". 5.2.5 Average FOB price and price differential with conventional products The average FOB price of organic produce in 2000 is given in Annex 1 while Table 6 (below) compares prices of organic produce and conventional produce in 1999. Mangoes fetched the highest price premium while the price of organic green coffee was lower than that of conventional coffee. Bananas, which are the largest traded commodity in terms of volume and value, fetched a price premium of 46 percent. Based on data from Savid (Jetta van den Berg, pers. comm.), the FOB prices of organic banana in 1999 and 2000 were US$9.00 and $8.50 per box respectively. Prices of conventional bananas for both years were US$6.50. Thus, estimated price premiums based on these figures were 38.5 percent and 30 percent respectively. For 2001, price premiums are in the range of 25-30 percent and these are expected to fall to about 20 percent in 2002. The prices for fresh organic mango was US$4.50 per box in 1999-2000 and this fell to US$4.00 but the price of organic mango puree has remained stable for several years at US$1.00 per Kg. For coconuts, higher prices were realized in 1999 (US$9.00) but the price has remained stable during 2000-01 at US$8.5 per box. Clearly, there is a downward trend in the price of organic produce, with lower premiums being realized.
Table 6: A comparison of price premiums for organic and conventional produce during 1999 (data modified from Brechelt, 2001) Product Fresh bananas Organic (US$) 267.30 per pallet Conventional (US$) 182.42 1332.17 Price premium % 46.53 11.98

Cocoa beans 1491.76 per tonne

Green coffee 3102.71 per tonne Cocoa butter 3974.02 per tonne Dry coconut Mangoes Mango pulp 169.98 per thousand fruits 747.18 per thousand fruits 900.76 per tonne

3248.18 3600.16 123.30 395.38 421.44

-4.48 10.38 37.86 88.98 113.73

5.2.6 Constraints to exports The in-country infrastructure is good but transportation costs could be reduced if produce from the northern regions could be shipped via Puerto Plata instead of Santo Domingo. Several constraints to export are recognized. Space on ships can be a constraint; Equipment at ports is old and needs renovation; Competition particularly from Central American producers (in the case of bananas); Inadequate promotion of organic produce from the Dominican Republic; High taxes on items such as fuel and other inputs required for production; and High start-up costs for small farmers. 6. Prospects for increase in production and exports The potential for increased production of all crops and diversification is enormous. Indeed, there is already a trend to increase the product range. The growing domestic market as well as regional markets provide some potential particularly for vegetables. Indeed, it is envisaged that in the short term, expansion of organic production will track global trends in demand. Thus 5-10 percent growth is projected annually. Some of the major challenges concern production. These include production of sufficient product of high quality to satisfy demand, technical support for farmers, provision of affordable credit, suitable shipping schedules and growing competition. The organic sector has benefited considerably from the fact that development took place at the right time. Thus by the mid-1990s, sufficient local information had been generated concerning needs for production, marketing and other logistics that the sector was able to capitalise on existing high demand. 7. Conclusions In less than ten years, organic production has been expanded greatly; to the extent that it is now a significant part of the economy. Clearly the demand for organic produce spurred growth but the significant role played by the private sector and particularly the exporting companies is remarkable. Indeed it is clear that while farmers could easily adopt organic practices, equally as much attention should be paid to developing marketing systems as to the transfer of technology. The market for organic produce continues to grow and the scope for expansion of production is therefore great (Haest, 2000; Sauv, 2000). References Baldeyaque, J. and Guerrero, H. (1999) A short diagnosis about the status of organic agriculture in the Dominican Republic. 111 pp. Brechelt, A. (2001) Commercialization and future of Dominican organic products. Unpublished Report. Brechelt, A. (2000) Organic agriculture. Technical Guide No 35. Centro para el

Desarrollo Agropecuario y Forestal, Inc. Dominican Republic. 36 pp. CEDOPEX (1999) El Exportador, June-December Issue, No 115. (Various articles on organic agriculture featured in this edition). 64 pp. Haest, C. (2000) In Organic Banana 2000: Towards an organic banana initiative in the Caribbean. Report of the international workshop on the production and marketing of organic bananas by smallholder farmers. 95-109 pp. Lpez, C. (2000) The Dominican Republic Experience. In Organic Banana 2000: Towards an organic banana initiative in the Caribbean. Report of the international workshop on the production and marketing of organic bananas by smallholder farmers. 67-70 pp. Ornes, H. (1987) Community centres for organic agriculture and appropriate technology in the Dominican Republic. Sustainable Development Conference, 2830 April 1987. London (UK), IIED. 15 pp. Sauv, E. (2000) The North American market: present and future. In Organic Banana 2000: Towards an organic banana initiative in the Caribbean. Report of the international workshop on the production and marketing of organic bananas by smallholder farmers. 110-116 pp. Sauv, E. (2000) The North American market for organic bananas: present and future. In Organic Banana 2000: Towards an organic banana initiative in the Caribbean. Report of the international workshop on the production and marketing of organic bananas by smallholder farmers. 111-116 pp. Van den Berg, J. (2001) Personal communication with the author Annex I Organic exports from the Dominican Republic: products, quantities, destination and FOB for the year 1999-2000
Product/Country Volume (tonnes) Dry Coconut UK Belgium-Luxembourg USA Germany The Netherlands Italy St. Martin Aruba Puerto Rico Fresh bananas (organic) UK Belgium-Luxembourg USA Germany Japan The Netherlands 10 28 363 10 479 5 603 2 547 4 785 1 792 3 015 1 800 8 092 874 3 234 216 1 549 294 473 562 1 316 301 510 335 979 791 45 830 18 300 12 335 5 526 3 522 2 011 1 904 13 878 359 6 228 686 3 639 388 1 131 111 1 093 131 713 638 690 983 292 157 11 40 49 25 1999 Total FOB (US$) 55 986 33 442 2 480 6 264 8 000 4 000 Volume (tonnes) 282 109 95 18 30 25 5 <1 <1 2000* Total FOB (US$) 93 078 50 514 20 938 7 977 6 442 4 000 3 000 200 8

Italy Sweden Portugal Barbados Sweden Bhutan Haiti St Martin Spain Fresh Bananas (biodynamic) Belgium-Luxembourg Germany The Netherlands Haiti Sweden US Virgin Islands USA Pineapples USA Mango Belgium-Luxembourg Germany Canada UK The Netherlands St Martin Switzerland France Lemons The Netherlands UK Puerto Rico Germany St Martin Haiti US Virgin Islands USA Italy Switzerland Organic Green Coffee Germany Sweden The Netherlands USA Aromatic Herbs Canada <1 9 69 38 31 193 209 103 754 89 455 <1 4 168 1 500 17 7 500 13 13 37 14 3 13 750 13 750 25 136 14 528 1 440 142 29,376

1 748 62 236 61 79 41 1 2 1 1 046 829 90 20 49 18 21 19 3 3 188 139 35 5 5 3 <1 <1 20 7 6 2 1 2 1 1 <1 <1 <1 257 162 38 28 19 4 4

275 532 25 920 24 192 23 620 16 104 14 634 675 500 245 211 410 173 004 18 288 7 296 3 944 3 648 2 830 2 400 1 340 1 340 94 315 74 652 15 807 1 501 1 209 1 021 90 35 18 494 7 263 5 874 2 170 1 276 732 455 395 170 146 14 667 164 412 451 114 915 84 822 54 977 3 264 2 880

USA The Netherlands Crude coconut oil The Netherlands Cocoa beans Belgium-Luxembourg The Netherlands Italy Spain Germany Mexico Honduras Switzerland USA Cocoa butter The Netherlands USA Puerto Rico Organic mango pure Germany USA Canada The Netherlands Puerto Rico Citrus juice Canada Fruit juice Canada Cocoa liqueur The Netherlands Total 29 705 9 601 308 11 3,587 11 3 587 102 121 867 920 409 256 153 1 216 757 604 800 323 266 166 824 <1 9

1 26 26 5 206 3 987 320 294 281 179 81 26 26 13 214 159 53 2 195 53 67 26 26 23 3 3 13 13 61 61 53 347

384 6 250 6 250 5 191 851 3 897 180 358 537 315 063 291 186 187 740 65 915 32 130 25 200 18 900 454 511 350 420 99 379 4 712 152 672 48 600 43 468 26 454 24 300 9 850 1 300 1 300 6 380 6 380 90 014 90 014 20 870 402

Source: CEDOPEX 26 March 2001.

Annex II List of Institutions involved in Organic Agriculture Caribex Dominicana, S. A. C/Avenida Central, No. 30, Santo Domingo Tel: 809 542-256 Fax: 809 542-213 Processing of organic mango pure Centro de Agricultura Orgnica con Tecnologa Apropiada (CASTA) Vil2.10l0.a Altagracia Professional capacity building Agricultural training, research and organic production

Centro Regional de Estudios de Alternativas Rurales (CREAR) Ro Limpio, Elas Pia Training of trainee technicians Research and organic production Citrex Dominicana C/Cayetano Germosen # 66 Jardines del Sur Sto Domingo Tel: 809 532-7981 Fax: 809 535-2402 Commercialization of organic goods Confederacin Nacional de Cacaocultores Dominicanos (CONACADO) Apt. Postal 3904 C/Transito Dominicano # 1 Piedra Blanca, Haina, Sto. Domingo Tel: 809 541-8383 Fax: 809 542-3441 Loans to farmers, training. Organization of producers and commercialization chains Cooperativa de Servicios Mltiples "Francisco del Rosario Snchez" C/P. # 3 piso, Barrio "Los Parceleros de Azua" Fax: 809 521-3094 Production of organic bananas ECOCIBAO Piedra Blanca, Jarabacoa, La Vega Tel: 809 248-2600 Fax: 809 574-2020 ECOFAIR S.A. y/o SUPLIBAN C/El Arca, N.10, Arroyo Hondo, Santo Domingo, Repblica Dominicana Tel: 809 542-8407 Fax: 809542-3441 Production of bananas Exportadora de Productos Ecolgicos C&A C/Leonor Feltz # 40 Minador Sur, Tel: 809 473-7463 Fax: 809473-7268 Santo Domingo Export of natural products made from "Nim". Fundacin "Agricultura y Medio Ambiente" (FAMA) C/Leonor Feltz # 40 Minador Sur, Santo Domingo Tel: 809 473-7463 Fax: 809 473-7268

Promotion of educational activities to protect the environment Grupo de Desarrollo Rural Nacional (GRAN) Cayetano Rodrguez # 159. Gazcue Tel: 809 685-5211 Fax: 809 685-0146 Training, loans to farmers. Commercialization and certification of organic products Guineo Nicols CXA C/C #12 El Despertador Santiago Tel: 809 241-3639 Fax: 809 582-5777 Production and commercialization of organic banana Horizontes Orgnicos CXA Km 81/2 Carretera Azua, San Juan de la Maguana, Los Tanos Apartado Postal 15, Azua Tel: 809 521-3571 Fax: 809 521-3925 Production, commercialization and export of organic products (coffee,banana, coconut) Instituto de Horticultura Biodinmica (HIB) Sonador - Bonao, Repblica Dominicana Research and training Lirianoy Gandini Ingenieros Asociados (Biologa, S. A) Avenida Valerio # 58 Altos, Santiago, Repblica Dominicana Tel: 809 971-1764 Fax: 809 971-55158 Commercialization of organic goods Melo CXA C/Anacaona #14, Barahona, Repblica Dominicana Tel: 809 524-5757 Fax: 809 524-2587 Production, commercialization and export of organic products, mainly coffee. Plantaciones del Norte, S. A. Hroes de la Barranquilla, Mao, Valverde, Repblica Dominicana Tel: 809 572-3536

Fax: 809 572-3696 Production and commercialization of bananas and pineapple. Plantaciones Tropicales Cesar Nicols Penzn # 116 Apt. Postal 25007 Sto. Domingo Repblica Dominicana Tel: 809 221-2727 Fax: 809 686-0755 Production and commercialization of organic products Procesadora de Caa Orgnica "Cruz Verde" C Manzana 26, No. 6, Urb. El Brisal, Santo Domingo Repblica Dominicana Tel: 809 593-8085 FAX. 809 682-5817 Processing sugar, sugar cane syrup, block sugar, molasses Proyecto "La Cruz de Manzanillo" C/Pepinillo Salcedo Monte Cristi Tel: 809 579-9510 FAX: 809 579-9603 Production of banana, plantain and other crops Tecnologa Bananera, S. A. Avenida Duarte # 52, 3er piso Licey, Almedio, Santiago Ramrez Bermdez y Asociados Avenida Jos Contreras #66, Zona Universitaria, Santo Domingo Tel: 809 532-3532 Fax: 809 532-3556 Certification of organic products Savid S.A. C/Colon #125 Azua. Tel: 809 521-3568 Fax: 809 521-2310 Production and commercialization of organic products Servicios Social de Iglesias Dominicanas, Inc. C/Luis Emilio Prez # 8 casi Esq. Euclides Morillo, Ens. La F. Promotion of the rural areas development. Agricultural training Visin Mundial Internacional

Csar Nicols Penzn # 60, Esq Angel Perdomo Tel: 809 221-6715/17 Fax: 809 221-8109 Promotion of rural development. Agricultural training