Mango Producers Punta Cana Seek Better Worker Training

At a recent agricultural summit in Bávaro, Mango Producers Punta Cana emphasized the urgent need for better worker training across the production chain. Félix Ruiz, president of Abapromango, warned that while mango farming has expanded in the Dominican Republic, the lack of skilled labor threatens its growth potential.

“Es más difícil tratarlo que producirlo,” Ruiz stated during the XXVIII Encuentro de Líderes del Sector Agropecuario. He stressed that proper post-harvest handling and food safety measures are essential to meet international export standards and maintain consumer trust.

Ruiz pointed out that mango cultivation is still a relatively new industry in the country. As its economic importance grows, so does the demand for trained workers—from the fields to the packing stations.

Training programs, he argued, should cover both field laborers and processing staff. The summit’s central theme, “Human capital and training: The challenges for the competitive transformation of Dominican agroindustry,” reflected the sector’s growing awareness of its workforce gaps.

For more on Punta Cana’s agricultural development, read our feature on agro-tourism in the region. To learn how local farmers are adapting to climate changes, visit our climate resilience report.