Haiti.- Closing all border points between the Dominican Republic and Haiti has led to increased smuggling between the two nations. Videos on social media show people crossing into uncontrolled border areas on foot to buy Dominican products and sell them in the Haitian market. Merchants depend on this long-standing trade to access Dominican products.
An issue resulting from this illegal trade is the influx of rotten eggs into Haitian markets in recent days. Despite higher prices, Haitians are determined to obtain products through smuggling due to food shortages.
Haitians are still proceeding with their plans to construct a canal over the Masacre River in an effort to reduce dependence on Dominican imports. Some are advocating for the consumption of local products and suggesting alternatives to imported meat, such as herring and cod.
Armed gangs in Haiti are worsening food insecurity and driving up food prices by extorting transporters and demanding extra money for safe passage, ultimately impacting the prices at which merchants sell their goods.
Official figures indicate that over half of Haiti’s consumption comes from the Dominican Republic, making Haiti the second largest trading partner of the neighboring country. Dominican food products, medicines, and construction materials are among the most sought-after goods in Haiti, and their scarcity has become evident in public markets and Haitian households since the border closure.