Santo Domingo – Dominican Republic sees a promising export chance in the international fragrance market. This belief is supported by ProDominicana and JICA. Recently, a conference was held featuring Haruna Sema, a fragrance expert from Japan. Sema created fragrances for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. He led a masterclass about using Dominican Republic’s resources to create fragrances.
ProDominicana’s Market Intelligence Department Director, Carolina Pérez, pointed out the support they provide to export companies. This includes access to tools for international markets, commercial alerts, and investment opportunities.
From 2020 to September 2024, the Dominican Republic exported RD$1.3 billion worth of aromatic essences and fragrances. This activity involved over 300 exporters across 45 markets. In just 2023, exports peaked at $6.7 million, up 56% from 2022. Haruna Sema mentioned that the country’s abundant flora could be utilized to create distinct Dominican fragrances, boosting economic diversification and competitiveness. JICA’s resident representative, Kota Sakaguchi, said that Sema’s trip was part of the “Artists in Project” program, promoting collaboration and supporting productivity for sustainable economic growth.