The Dominican Republic Ministry of Agriculture has launched a series of enhanced phytosanitary measures designed to protect the country’s mango exports to key international markets, including the United States and Europe. The initiative focuses on strengthening fruit fly monitoring and ensuring compliance with international sanitary standards required by importing countries.
The measures include the appointment of engineer Jeurys Arias to oversee the national fruit fly monitoring program. Authorities have also completed inspections of all 2,089 monitoring traps used to detect Anastrepha obliqua in Peravia Province, the region responsible for approximately 80% of the Dominican Republic’s export-quality mango production.
Enhanced Monitoring to Meet International Requirements
In addition to trap inspections, the Ministry of Agriculture is strengthening surveillance procedures through improved georeferencing systems and more efficient data management. The objective is to provide greater traceability and ensure that monitoring programs meet the expectations of international plant health authorities.
According to the ministry, the initiative responds to recommendations issued in 2023 by the U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), which identified areas for improvement in pre-inspection protocols for Dominican mango exports. Agriculture Minister Francisco Oliverio Espaillat reinstated the enhanced controls to help preserve uninterrupted access to the U.S. market.
Exports Continue as Harvest Nears Completion
Emidio Gómez, director of Health and Food Safety, said that between 85% and 90% of the country’s yellow-skinned mango crop had already been exported to the United States before the stricter measures were implemented. As a result, only about 10% of that harvest remains available for export.
Meanwhile, exports of green- and red-skinned mango varieties to European markets, which began in May, continue without disruption. Gómez also noted that the Dominican Republic remains free of the Ceratitis capitata, commonly known as the Mediterranean fruit fly, an important factor in maintaining access to international markets.
Supporting a Competitive Export Industry
The Ministry of Agriculture said it will continue providing technical assistance to mango producers to help maintain compliance with international phytosanitary standards. These efforts are intended to strengthen the country’s competitiveness as a leading mango exporter while protecting one of its most important agricultural export sectors.
For international buyers and importers, the reinforced monitoring program demonstrates the Dominican Republic’s commitment to maintaining reliable sanitary controls and meeting the requirements of major export destinations.