Lemon production in the Dominican Republic currently reaches 50,000 tons per year. The country imports between 15% and 20% of this citrus fruit but is now awaiting genetic material from California to help boost domestic supply, according to local outlet El Dinero.

The initiative was announced at the IV International Citrus Congress 2025, held in late April, where Lemon Cluster President Félix Adalberto Bautista said the imported genetic material is part of a broader effort to revitalize the country’s citrus industry, which has been hit hard by diseases such as HLB (Huanglongbing, or citrus greening).

“We come to the rescue of the sweet citrus of memory—those varieties our grandparents consumed, such as the Navel orange, the Murcott mandarin, and grapefruit,” Bautista said, as quoted by local media.

Persian lemons account for the largest share of citrus production in the Dominican Republic. Roughly 330,000 hectares are cultivated in areas such as Jarabacoa, Constanza, San José de las Matas, San Juan, and Monte Plata.

To support the citrus sector, the Agricultural Bank of the Dominican Republic (Bagrícola) will provide RD$340 million (about US$5.7 million) in financing to plant 10,000 new citrus groves and rehabilitate existing plantations.

The funding was announced by Bagrícola Administrator Fernando Durán after signing an agreement with the Lemon Cluster during the congress.

The financing will first benefit 244 producers, with a special focus on the establishment of 10,000 new tareas, the rehabilitation of existing plantations, and the rescue of sweet citrus varieties of high commercial value, such as grapefruit, mandarins, clementines, and oranges.

Bautista said the plan aims to make Dominican citrus producers more competitive, noting that while the country has made gains in lemon productivity, it still trails behind countries like Peru.

The financing will also support research and training. It will include a review of strategies to improve and diversify citrus production through the reintroduction of sweet citrus varieties.

Key elements of the strategy include phytosanitary management to combat HLB, as well as the use of nurseries in controlled environments and adherence to best practices to ensure healthy, genetically robust plants.

The program also covers integrated nutrient management, sustainable agricultural practices, genetic improvement of planting material, yield increases per hectare, and the adoption of new technologies to meet both domestic and international market challenges.

Citrus exports from the Dominican Republic

Bautista said that last year, the country exported more than 2,000 tons of citrus, including 42 containers of organic Eureka lemons to Europe.

He expects exports to surpass that figure this year but cautioned that Persian lemons face stiff competition in the U.S. market from Mexico, Peru, and Colombia.

The sector is also introducing high-value varieties such as caviar and pink lemons for international gourmet markets. Studies are underway to match genetic material to regional soil types for optimal production.

Related article: The Dominican Republic will officially start shipping table grapes to the U.S.