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Poultry producers in the Dominican Republic called on Thursday to protect egg exports to Cuba, which receives an average of 65 million units monthly from that country.
The businessman Fabio Baba recalled that, following the diplomatic crisis of 2023 with Haiti, Cuba became the fundamental support for the stability of the sector, reported the Dominican newspaper Diario Libre.
"If that door closes, we would lose one of the pillars that supports the current stability of the industry," warned Baba during the technical session Protect Our Poultry Industry, held in Santiago de los Caballeros.
According to Pavel Concepción, president of the Dominican Association of Poultry (ADA), the industry is experiencing a historic moment, with a 15% increase in egg production between 2024 and 2025, amounting to 390 million units per month.
It was also highlighted that broiler chicken production increased from 20.5 million to over 22 million birds per month, which strengthens the country's food security and positions the Dominican Republic as a regional leader in animal protein exports.
The event in Santiago de los Caballeros brought together national and international producers and technicians with the aim of strengthening the competitiveness and health sustainability of the poultry industry.
In March, it was reported that Cuba imported around 16.5 million eggs monthly from the Dominican Republic, but now Dominican producers claim that the actual figure amounts to approximately 65 million.
The conclusion is clear: in just a few months, exports nearly quadrupled, which reveals Cuba's increasing reliance on that market and the strategic importance of the island for the stability of the Dominican poultry industry.
Cuban authorities attribute the collapse of the agricultural sector to a lack of supplies, fuel shortages, and weather conditions.
Cuba also imports eggs from countries such as Colombia and the United States. In fact, the latter are sold in state-owned hard currency stores and by micro, small, and medium enterprises (mipymes).
Also, physical and online stores on the island sell eggs from the United States, although the regime maintains that the U.S. embargo prevents it from purchasing basic food products.
According to the analysis of Cuban economist Pedro Monreal, the decline in the production of eggs in Cuba since the implementation of economic "reordering" in 2021 is more severe than that experienced during the critical Special Period of the 1990s.
In August, Monreal referenced a post from the official portal Cubadebate to argue that the current decline represents one of the most concerning expressions of food insecurity that afflicts the nation.
Monreal extended his criticism of the information management during the crisis, pointing out the inconsistency of the official press in promoting a supposed "new management model" as a solution.
The economist characterized it as an archaic scheme, more akin to a "medieval barter of physical units" than to a system guided by market logic.
This mechanism will be implemented starting in late 2024. It consists of a contract for cooperative production in which feed suppliers—ranging from small and medium-sized enterprises to foreign investment entities—receive 70% of the produced eggs.
Cuban poultry farming, responsible for the infrastructure, technology, and workforce, retains 30% of the production.
In provinces like Pinar del Río, the production of layings barely reaches 24% of what was achieved in 2019, and even though recovery programs are in place after years of accumulated crises, hurricanes, blackouts, and feed shortages, the situation remains critical.
In October 2024, the Minister of Agriculture, Ydael Pérez Brito, revealed that, of producing between four and five million eggs per day, only 1,200,000 are being produced, when they manage to feed the livestock.
At the beginning of July, the sale of eggs in dollars at the La Época store in Sancti Spíritus turned into “a sort of Roman coliseum” with pushing, shouting, chaos, and absolute impunity, acknowledged the official newspaper Escambray.
Due to the lack of a historically essential food in the diet of Cubans, a carton of eggs has reached astronomical prices in the informal market, which far exceed the minimum wage or pension.
In 2024, Cubans reported the exorbitant cost of a “file” of chicken hatchlings: 5,000 pesos on the black market, a price that a worker earning a low salary or a retiree with their minimal pension cannot afford.
Frequently Asked Questions about Importing Eggs to Cuba from the Dominican Republic
How many eggs does Cuba import from the Dominican Republic each month?
Cuba imports 65 million eggs per month from the Dominican Republic. This quantity has been crucial for the stability of the Dominican poultry industry, especially after the diplomatic crisis with Haiti in 2023.
Why has egg production decreased in Cuba?
The production of eggs in Cuba has declined due to the lack of supplies, fuel shortages, and adverse weather conditions. Furthermore, the implementation of the economic "ordering" has worsened the situation, bringing it to levels worse than during the Special Period of the 1990s.
How does the import of eggs from the Dominican Republic affect Dominican producers?
The import of eggs to Cuba represents a . Losing this market could destabilize the sector, warn producers and poultry entrepreneurs from the Dominican Republic.
What measures is Cuba taking to address the egg production crisis?
Cuba has implemented a new management model called "cooperative production", where feed suppliers receive 70% of the eggs produced. However, this measure has been criticized for its similarity to a medieval barter system, rather than a market-oriented model.
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