DR-Brazil Trade Surpasses $1 Billion, almomento.net Reports
Bilateral trade between the Dominican Republic and Brazil surpassed US$1 billion in 2025, marking an increase from approximately US$370 million annually two decades ago, almomento.net reported. Despite this growth, trade remains heavily unbalanced in favor of South America’s largest economy, prompting local business leaders to push for structural changes in regional commerce.
Commercial Imbalance Shapes Trade Strategy
The Cámara de Comercio Domínico-Brasileña marked its 38th anniversary by proposing that the Dominican Republic transform into a primary regional hub for trade and investment with Brazil. Leonel Castellanos Duarte, president of the organization, outlined the strategy during a gathering of business leaders and diplomats in Santo Domingo. Luiz Marfil, minister counselor of the Embassy of Brazil, attended the event on behalf of Ambassador Carlos Luis Dantas Coutinho Perez.
Brazil currently supplies the Dominican Republic with core commodities, including cereals, agricultural machinery, food products, raw materials, steel, and public transport vehicles. Conversely, Dominican exports to the Brazilian market remain largely confined to pharmaceutical items and medical devices. Castellanos Duarte emphasized that narrowing this trade imbalance requires deliberately expanding the local export basket and using ongoing technical cooperation frameworks.
Bilateral Pact Aims to Modernize Domestic Agricultural Production
To bridge the supply gap, trade officials are banking on recently established bilateral agreements. A pact with the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, known as Embrapa, aims to modernize domestic agricultural production and boost export readiness. Marfil noted during the anniversary event that Brazilian exports to the Dominican Republic climbed 26.7 percent between January and August 2026 compared to the same period in 2025.
Amid international market volatility, geopolitical tensions, and tightening tariff barriers, Brazilian agribusiness closed out 2025 with record export revenues totaling US$169 billion. Officials point to the broader commercial framework between Mercosur and the European Union as a gateway for new opportunities.