SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (DR) — USA Rice was well represented within an agribusiness trade delegation here that included 47 agribusinesses and trade organizations led by Deputy U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Michelle Bekkering. Six USA Rice members joined the trade mission and participated in the business-to-business meetings to build new partnerships and increase sales opportunities. Additionally, four neighboring Haitian importers, invited by USA Rice, took part in the mission to engage directly with U.S. rice suppliers and further strengthen regional trade ties.
“This trade mission will connect U.S. exporters with key buyers, tapping into Latin America’s growing demand for high-quality American agricultural products, supporting rural prosperity and keeping American agriculture globally competitive,” said Deputy Under Secretary Bekkering.
On the sidelines of the formal trade mission program, USA Rice conducted critical, targeted meetings with Deputy Under Secretary Bekkering and USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Administrator Daniel Whitley to advocate for U.S. rice industry interests and address ongoing trade concerns and violations. USA Rice also met with the Dominican Rice Millers Association (ADOFA) to tackle critical non-tariff trade barriers that impact the flow of U.S.-origin rice into the Dominican market.
The Dominican Republic continues to present significant opportunities for U.S. agricultural producers, with an expanding middle class, steady economic growth, and a robust hotel and restaurant sector driving demand. The country ranks as the fourth-largest market for U.S. agricultural exports in the Western Hemisphere and is the leading export destination among the six countries covered by the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA). Since the implementation of DR-CAFTA, U.S. agricultural exports to the Dominican Republic have grown from $800 million in 2007 to $2.2 billion in 2024—a six percent increase over the previous year—with the U.S. supplying 44 percent of the country’s agricultural imports.
To protect local rice production and limit U.S. rice access as the market liberalizes under DR-CAFTA, Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader signed Decree 693-24 on December 17, 2024 (see
USA Rice Daily, January 13, 2025). The decree establishes a 20 percent tariff within the existing World Trade Organization (WTO) quota for all rice imports, while a 23,300 metric ton (MT) duty-free quota is reserved for U.S. rice. Any U.S. rice imports beyond that quota will face the 99 percent tariff. This policy conflicts with the full market access commitments under DR-CAFTA, which, after a 17-year phase-out of duties and quotas, was set to allow completely duty-free access for U.S. rice starting January 1, 2025. Since the decree’s implementation, the Ministry of Agriculture has not issued a single import permit allowing for U.S. rice imports under the 23,300 MT quota. U.S. rice exports to the DR have dropped sharply to just over 2,000 MT from January-May 2025, compared to more than 36,000 MT during the same period last year.
“USA Rice has a long history of working in the Dominican Republic to support a safe and reliable food supply to meet the demand here through value-added milled rice exports,” said USA Rice Director of International Trade Policy Karah Janevicius. “The current trade environment is concerning for the stability of both the food supply as well as the partnerships built over the last twenty years.”
Janevicius continued: “We appreciate U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer’s attention to this concerning policy and support efforts to find a negotiated outcome that achieves transparent, fair, and reciprocal trade with the Dominican Republic, including the elimination of this Decree.”
USA Rice’s engagement on the ground underscores the industry’s commitment to ensuring stable and predictable access for U.S. rice exports, while supporting the mutual goal of strengthening trade ties between the two countries and the broader region.