Most affected is the textile industry with the competition that the entrance of Mexico to the North American Free Trade Agreement has created. He said that the country can no longer compete by solely offering cheap labor. The principal markets for non-traditional Dominican exports were the United States, the European Union, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean islands. The items include 132 farming and some 200 agroindustrial products. Among the non traditional exports are bananas, coconuts, pineapples, oranges, melons, avocados, pigeon peas, ornamental plants, cut flowers, peppers, honey, celery, eggs, yuca, tomatoes, maize, conch and coriander.
Agroindustrial produce includes cocoa butter and processed tobacco.
He says the AIRD has called for a national program to create a modern, diversified and an expanded national production base and development strategy. He said that industries have been one of the sectors most affected by the electricity crisis. He also attributed the decline to the way the government is applying the Codigo Tributario, or tax code. He stated the government has applied the latter only when it has been convenient to their tax collection purposes, and not applying the inflation compensation mechanism contained within the law. He also said that the foreign investment law that was passed over six months ago has had no effect because its rules of application have not been drawn up.