US bans entry of sugar produced in Dominican Republic due to forced labor

The United States banned the entry of sugar produced in the Dominican Republic by Central Romana Corporation Limited (Central Romana), alleging forced labor in the operations.

A statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) indicates that, as of November 23, 2022, raw sugar and sugar-based products produced by Central Romana will be detained at all US ports of entry.

During an investigation, CBP reportedly identified five of the International Labor Organization’s 11 indicators of forced labor: abuse of vulnerability, isolation, wage withholding, abusive working and living conditions, and excessive overtime.

“This wage withholding order demonstrates CBP’s commitment to protecting human rights and international labor standards and promoting a fair and competitive global marketplace,” said CBP Acting Commissioner Troy Miller.

He added that “the agency will continue to set a high global standard by aggressively investigating allegations of forced labor in US supply chains and keeping tainted merchandise out of the United States.”

The Withholding Removal Order (WRO) on Central Romana is the latest action the United States has taken to address forced labor and other human rights abuses worldwide.

“CBP continues to set the international standard for ensuring that goods made with forced labor do not enter US commerce,” said AnnMarie R. Highsmith, Assistant Executive Commissioner of CBP’s Office of Trade and Commerce.

“Manufacturers like Central Romana, who do not comply with our laws, will face the consequences as we eradicate these inhumane practices from U.S. supply chains,” the commissioner says.

The ban on the entry of sugar produced by Central Romana, one of the largest producers in the country, comes at a time when both countries disagree over the deportation of undocumented Haitian nationals.

The United States is the main market for Dominican sugar exports. In 2020, the Dominican Republic exported raw sugar for US$113 million.

STUDY

The release states that “in September 2022, the US Department of Labor identified Dominican Republic sugarcane on its list of goods produced by child labor or forced labor, and the US Department of State placed the Dominican Republic on its Tier 2 list in its July 2022 Trafficking in Persons report.”

According to the federal statute (19 U.S.C. 1307) of the North American country “prohibits the importation of goods produced, in whole or in part, by convict labor, forced labor, and bonded labor, including forced or bonded child labor.”

FORCED LABOR IN THE WORLD

In its report “Global Estimates of Modern Slavery: Forced Labor and Forced Marriage,” the International Labor Organization estimates that nearly 28 million workers worldwide suffer from forced labor conditions.

With information from Bloomberg