Dominican Cocoa Exports Reach $669 Million as Chocolate Festival Nears

Dominican cocoa exports reached $669 million in 2025, a 55% increase from the previous year, as higher international prices boosted the value of one of the country’s most important agricultural products.

The export performance will provide an economic backdrop for the sixth edition of the Dominican Chocolate Festival, scheduled for September 11-13 in Santo Domingo. The event will bring together more than 18 brands involved in the transformation and marketing of Dominican cocoa and chocolate.

Higher Cocoa Prices Lift Export Value

Data from the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs (MICM) show that the average price of Dominican cocoa exports reached $7,798 per metric ton in 2025, up 6% from the previous year.

The increase in export value therefore reflects not only the volume of cocoa sold abroad but also the higher prices obtained in international markets. The trend has increased the commercial value of Dominican cocoa and provides a stronger economic setting for businesses involved in processing and marketing cocoa products.

The MICM’s previous data also showed how strongly international prices had influenced the sector. In 2024, Dominican cocoa bean exports were valued at $432 million, while the average price reached $7,399 per ton.

Festival To Highlight Chocolate Production

The September festival will focus on what happens after cocoa leaves the farm, giving visitors an opportunity to see how the raw material is transformed into chocolate and other higher-value products.

More than 18 Dominican chocolate brands are expected to participate, presenting cocoa-derived products and explaining aspects of their production processes. The program will include tastings, cooking demonstrations, children’s activities and other experiences centered on Dominican chocolate.

The event is designed to highlight the different stages of the cocoa value chain, from the agricultural product itself to its transformation into finished foods. That focus places local chocolatiers and processors alongside the farmers and exporters who form the foundation of the industry.

Focus On Value-Added Cocoa Products

The festival will also recognize the Dominican Association of Chocolate Makers (ADOCHOCO) and the brands that make up the country’s chocolate sector. The recognition forms part of an agenda aimed at highlighting businesses involved in turning locally produced cocoa into products for consumers.

For visitors, the event offers a closer look at a product that has a significant presence in the Dominican agricultural and export economy. For local producers and chocolate makers, it provides a platform to present products that move beyond the export of raw agricultural commodities toward greater processing and branding within the country.

The sixth edition is being organized by the Dominican Environmental Consortium, the International Trade Centre, Ágora Mall, Mediáticos Consultores en Comunicación and the MICM, with support from Cortés Hermanos, Zorzal Cacao and the Dominican Association of Chefs.

With cocoa exports reaching a record value of $669 million in 2025, the festival comes at a time when international prices have increased the economic weight of Dominican cocoa. Its emphasis on chocolate makers and value-added products also puts greater attention on the businesses and producers involved in transforming the crop before it reaches consumers.