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: ProCigar
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Procigar Opens 2026 Registration
The Association of the Dominican Cigar Manufacturers announced that registration is open for the 18th Procigar Festival 2026 will be held February 15—20, 2026. Combining educational opportunities, entertainment, and access to numerous exclusive premium cigars, the Festival promotes the Dominican tobacco industry and its position as “exporters of the finest premium cigars in the world.”
The festival is broken into two parts, with the first portion taking place Feb 15—17 in La Romana and the second portion taking place Feb 17—20 in Santiago. Registration packages begin at $2,500 and include transportation around the island, tours, meals, and a goodie bag, but not airfare or hotel expenses.
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Procigar Elects New Leadership
Photo: sururu Procigar has elected Litto Gomez of La Flor Dominicana as its new president and Ciro Cascella as its new vice president, according to the Premium Cigar Association. Hendrik Kelner was named president for life due to his dedication to the development of the organization.
Procigar was formed in 1992 by a group of cigar makers in the Dominican Republic. The goal of this group is to protect the reputation and future of the Dominican Republic’s tobacco industry by setting and maintaining high standards of quality and preserving the heritage of their country’s premium cigar and tobacco culture.
Members of Procigar include General Cigar Dominicana, La Aurora, Quesada Cigars Oettigner Davidoff, Tabacalera de Garcia, Tabadom Holding, De Los Reyes Cigars, Tabacalera Arturo Fuente, Tabacalera La Alianza, La Flor Dominicana, Oe Tabacalera Palma, PDR Cigars and Arnold Andre.
Each year, the Procigar hosts an international festival in the Dominican Republic celebrating the country’s cigar culture and tobacco industry.
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Procigar and InterTabac Extend Partnership
Photo: alekosa The long-term partnership between Messe Dortmund and Procigar, the Association of Dominican Cigar Manufacturers, has been extended. The aim is to build on and grow the close partnership and teamwork of recent years.
“What we have here is a unique partnership between the world’s biggest and best trade show in the tobacco sector and the world’s leading cigar exporter,” said Hendrik Kelner, Progicar’s president, in a statement. The principal objective of the Association of Dominican Cigar Manufacturers is to promote and defend the quality and consistency of Dominican cigars across the world. Only a globally recognized platform like InterTabac can be contemplated for this key task.”
Procigar was founded in 1992 as an association of cigar producers in the Dominican Republic. Since 2008, Procigar has organized the annual Procigar Festival attracting more than 400 international guests, importers, wholesalers and retailers as well as tobacco industry suppliers and employees.
The InterTabac trade exhibition will take place Sept. 15-17, 2022.