Worldwide consumption of organic products has been growing a lot lately, and, as a result, the majority of the banana producers of the Dominican Republic have specialized in this sector. Dominican products are increasingly more popular internationally because of their excellent quality and because they can be consumed throughout the year, as they aren't a seasonal production.
The COOPPROBATA cooperative currently produces about 5,400 boxes, of 18 kg, of certified FairTrade and GLOBAL GAP organic bananas per week.
According to Jose Augusto Castillo, of COOPPROBATA, consumption in the local market is growing, although at a very slow rate. "Most of the banana production remains in the local market, namely the second class banana, as the Premium bananas are sold internationally, but through intermediaries. We sell to local companies and they export our products abroad."
"Prices in the local market are very low because the production is very large for such a small country. We are an island, that's why our market is so limited, in our country bananas are consumed green, like a meal, while outside of here they are consumed as fruit." Castillo said that they would like the second class bananas to be exported, but that it was something that wasn't happening at the moment.
The COOPPROBATA cooperative is located in the region of Azua and has 250 producers from the rural areas. Castillo said that prices were governed by the Fair Trade certification, that they currently stood at $9.60 dollars for sale at origin, and that prices could vary depending on the negotiations with the buying company. "We are interested in getting a direct market, because we are selling at the farm gate but we want to get sales at the port so that our profits can be greater."
