Coffee Production in the Dominican Republic

Here’s a detailed summary of coffee production in the Dominican Republic—covering its history, scale, geography, varieties, challenges and recent trends.

History & context

• Coffee was introduced in the Dominican Republic around 1715. (Wikipedia)

• Around the early 20th century, it became a major crop in several mountainous districts (e.g., the Cibao region). (Wikipedia)

• Historically, it was a much larger export sector: in the early 1980s, coffee and cocoa were responsible for ~30-35 % of the country’s exports. (World Bank)

• Over time, due to various constraints (productivity, competition, aging trees, rust disease, domestic consumption) the sector’s export share and area under cultivation have declined. (World Bank)

Geography & production system

• Coffee is grown primarily in the mountainous/highland regions of the country: the Central Mountain Region (Cordillera Central), Northern Mountain Region, Bahoruco, Neyba, etc. (Wikipedia)

• Elevation is generally between ~600 m to ~1,450 m (or 400 m to 1,500 m in some sources). (Sweet Maria\'s Coffee Library)

• The farms tend to be small-scale: one source mentions ~40,000 to 50,000 farmers. (Wikipedia)

• Typical farms are under 3 hectares in size. (The Business Year)

• Many farms practise shade-grown production, often under canopy trees such as pine, macadamia, guava. (Sapphire Agriculture)

• The processing is often done via the “wet method” (washed) – cherries de-pulled, fermented, washed, sun-dried. (Sapphire Agriculture)

Varieties & quality

• The dominant species is Arabica. Robusta is grown only minimally (≈1.3 % of land in some estimates). (Wikipedia)

• Varieties grown include Típica, Caturra, Catuaí, Bourbon, Mundo Novo. (Sapphire Agriculture)

• Because of the altitude and diversity of micro-climates, there is potential for specialty coffee, but historically much output has been more “commodity” grade. (Sweet Maria\'s Coffee Library)

Scale of production & consumption

• According to one data source, green coffee production reached 20,577 tonnes in 2022. (Helgi Library)

• Another older estimate: “between 350,000-500,000 bags” (each bag typically ~60 kg) which roughly corresponds to ~21,000-30,000 tonnes, with <20 % exported. (Sweet Maria\'s Coffee Library)

• Exports: In 2023, for “coffee not roasted or decaffeinated”, the Dominican Republic exported about 670,366 kg (~0.67 million kg) valued at ~US$4.28 million. (World Integrated Trade Solution)

• Domestic consumption: In 2021, consumption per capita was ~2.64 kg. (Helgi Library)

• Some sources indicate high domestic consumption relative to exports, limiting exportable surplus. (Sweet Maria\'s Coffee Library)

Major challenges & issues

• Productivity and age of trees: Many smallholders with older trees, low yields. (E.g., area under cultivation has declined over decades). (World Bank)

• Quality and marketing: Although there is good potential, much production is mixed grade, limiting access to premium markets. (Sweet Maria\'s Coffee Library)

• Pests/diseases: Coffee rust and climate-related stress have impacted production. (Dominican Today)

• Declining export share: Even though production may hold up, exports are a small fraction; domestic consumption and lower competitiveness limit growth. (World Bank)

• Small-scale farmers with limited access to capital, processing infrastructure: Many farms <3 ha, so economies of scale are limited.

Recent trends & opportunities

• There is recent growth in exports and renewed government support. For instance: exports in 2024 totaled US $41.1 million (a 106.6 % increase over previous year) per one report. (Dominican Today)

• The government and coffee-institutes/planning agencies are promoting planting new coffee trees: e.g., one article said 49.3 million coffee plants have been planted under the current administration (an increase over prior). (Dominican Today)

• Premium/specialty coffee niche: There’s mention of organic, shade-grown, higher altitude coffees being developed for export. (Geodyn Solutions)

• Market for domestic consumption is growing, especially “out-of-home” (cafés, tourism) which offers a chance to raise local profile. (Statista)

Outlook

• Production: One source projects production will decline to about ~394,000 bags (60 kg bag standard) by 2028, down from ~408,000 bags in 2023. (ReportLinker)

• Consumption: Expected to rise to ~31,000 metric tons by 2028 (from ~27,000 tons in 2023) in one outlook. (ReportLinker)

• Value growth: Because of rising premiums, specialty production, export market growth, value may rise even if volume is limited.

• The need: To break into higher-value markets (specialty, traceability, certification), upgrade processing infrastructure, support farmers (replanting, extension services) and improve logistics/marketing.

Summary

In short:

• The Dominican Republic has a long-standing coffee industry, largely small-scale and highland-based.

• Production is modest on a global scale, much of it consumed domestically, with a small exportable surplus.

• There are significant opportunities—especially around specialty/quality coffee—but also challenges around productivity, small farm size, aging plant stock, and infrastructure.

• Recent years show encouraging signs in export growth, new plantings and government support.

• The key to future growth will likely be: improving yield and quality, accessing premium markets, increasing export share, and leveraging the strong domestic coffee culture.