Human-rights group urges U.S. ban on Dominican sugar amid ongoing forced labor claims
A watchdog report says forced labor still exists on Dominican Republic sugarcane farms that ship to the United States, and it calls for reinstating the import ban.
A new study by Corporate Accountability Lab documents persistent forced-labor conditions on the Dominican Republic’s largest sugarcane estates owned by Central Romana Corporation, Ltd. The investigation, spanning more than three years, describes systematic wage withholding, cramped housing without basic utilities and a climate of fear that prevents workers from demanding fair pay. The report notes that the United States previously barred imports from the company in 2022, a restriction that was lifted under the Trump administration.
The watchdog urges U.S. officials to restore the ban and calls on Central Romana to enroll staff in the national social-security system, guarantee at least the minimum daily wage and permit independent union activity. It also recommends that the Dominican authorities regularize the immigration status of the largely Haitian migrant workforce and enforce labor and environmental regulations. Central Romana dismissed the findings as inaccurate, claiming compliance with local and international standards.
Why it matters
U.S. consumers may be buying sugar produced under abusive conditions, and policy action could affect trade and workers' rights.
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