Panama Faces Drop in
Banana Exports
Panama - Panama faces a
possible drop of around
20 percent in its banana
exports due to the lack
of financing, plagues
and climate adversities.
According to industry
stats published by the
local media, from
January thru November,
2008, foreign sales of
the fruit reached 17
million 689 thousand
boxes. That represented
a reduction of 2.7
million boxes compared
to the same period of
2007.
Revenues from the sales
amounted to 92.8 million
dollars, a setback of
nearly nine million
dollars.
Producers consider the
situation could be still
worse in the short term,
taking into account the
effects from November
floods in the provinces
of Bocas del Toro and
Chiriqui.
As a result of the
severe rains brought by
a cold front in that
month, dozens of acres
of banana plantations
were damaged. |
