The National Institute of Technical and Vocational Training (INFOTEP), in partnership with the Association of Dominican Cigar Manufacturers (Procigar), has opened the Procigar–INFOTEP School of Tobacco Artisans in Tamboril, Santiago, to support workforce development in the Dominican premium cigar sector. The program will initially train 88 participants across four groups, each completing 135 hours of hands-on instruction covering cigar production processes, including leaf selection, blending, bunching, finishing, and quality control. The school, which accommodates 24 students per course with flexible scheduling, is intended to preserve craftsmanship, expand employment opportunities, and strengthen the Dominican Republic’s position in the global premium cigar market through public-private collaboration.
Tag: dominican republic
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Dominican Cigar Production Tops 8 Billion Units
The Dominican Republic remains the world’s top exporter of cigars, producing over 8.4 billion cigars each year, according to Iván Hernández Guzmán, director of the Dominican Tobacco Institute (Intabaco). Of this total, more than 181 million are handcrafted, while over 8.2 billion are made using machinery.
Speaking at the Dominican Cigar Expo 2025 in Santiago, Hernández Guzmán highlighted tobacco’s vital role in the national economy, saying the industry contributes 10% of the country’s exports and generates more than $1.34 billion annually—second only to gold. It is the largest employer in free trade zones, creating over 40,000 jobs in that sector and more than 110,000 jobs nationwide. There are 160 tobacco-processing companies across 15 provinces, yielding over 330,000 quintals of tobacco each year.
For its premium cigar exports, 88% go to the United States and 10% to the European Union.
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U.S. Tops List for Importing Dominican Cigars
Iván Hernández Guzmán, the director of the Tobacco Institute of the Dominican Republic, recently offered a breakdown of the nation’s cigar export market, which he said this year will top $1.3 billion with products going to 148 countries.
Hernández Guzmán said the United States is by far the biggest importer of Dominican cigars, accounting for 74.3% of the market at $906 million. Purchasing power, culture, and relatively low tariffs on premium cigars make the U.S. an attractive market, he said.
The next highest importers are China $74 million (5.53%) and Germany $60 million (4.45%), followed by Belgium $26 million (1.93%), Nicaragua $22 million (1.63%), Puerto Rico $18 million (1.31%), and Spain $15 million (1.21%).
“The tobacco of the Dominican Republic is considered a country brand and is recognized for its premium cigars that are highly appreciated nationally and internationally,” Hernández Guzmán said. “So from the government and the private sector, we are working for its greater promotion, expansion, and support.”
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Fire Damages Universal Facility in Dominican
Image: sharafmaksumov A fire broke out Sept. 2 at Inetab-Kaubeck, Universal Corp.’s leaf-sorting and sales facility in Moca, Dominican Republic.
In a letter sent to Universal clients obtained by Halfwheel, Inetab-Kaubeck Managing Director Philipp Schumacher said that there was “a material loss of tobacco and one part of the warehouse affected.”
The letter states that staff were not on-site at the time of the fire, and no lives were lost. It does not list the cause of the fire.
Video of the fire showed a large warehouse that appeared to still have tobacco in it, but images shared with Halfwheel show a mostly empty building with remnants of tobacco on the floor and tables as well as char marks around the walls and standing water on the floor.
In a subsequent video, Henderson Ventura of Tabacalera William Ventura and ADV & McKay Cigars Co. said that it is one of eight buildings at Inetab-Kaubeck and one that focused on Connecticut broadleaf and Pennsylvania tobaccos.
“We thank all emergency services present and [e]specially the fire departments from Moca and multiple other locations in the Cibao area for their assistance to the fire,” said Schumacher. “Thanks to their tireless efforts, it was controlled swiftly.”
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Fire Destroys Dominican Cigar Factories
Photo: Artem A large fire broke out on Sept. 26 in Tamboril, Dominican Republic, destroying the Tabacalera William Ventura and Intercigar factories, reports Halfwheel.
Tabacalera William Ventura produces its own line of cigars under the ADV and McKay and ADVentura names as well as producing cigars for Caldwell Cigar Co., Bellatto Premium Cigars, Freud Cigar Co., Room101, J. London Cigars and others. Intercigar produces the Vallejuelo line as well as other brands and has also produced cigars for RBGN Rauchvergnugen.
The two companies shared the same factory building. The cause has not been identified yet, but there were no reported injuries.
Tabacalera William Ventura will move its production to a smaller factory, El Maestro, while the main facility is unavailable.
The Zona Franca La Palma complex is home to several cigar factories.
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Avanti Cigar Moves to the Dominican Republic
Photo: sezerozger The Avanti Cigar Co. is moving its production from the United States to the Dominican Republic, citing high labor cost and difficulty in finding employees as reasons for the decision, according to a report in the Standard-Speaker.
After manufacturing premium cigars for more than 90 years in Dunmore, Pennsylvania, Avanti will shut down its U.S. factory on Aug. 31.
“The last two years have been difficult due to the Covid-19 pandemic; it is getting harder and harder to hire skilled people, able to learn and manage production activities and to guarantee business sustainability in the medium [term] and long term,” the company wrote in a statement.
Founded in 1912 in New York City as Suraci Brothers, the company moved to Scranton, Pennsylvania, around 1930, then to Dunmore in 2013.
David Ozgo, president of the Cigar Association of America, said Avanti’s move overseas fits a trend.
“This is a trend that’s been going on for decades,” Ozgo said. “In the U.S., we make a lot of premium tobacco. There is a real issue in hiring employees that probably makes it more attractive for them to move to the Dominican Republic.”