A group of independent producers, with the support of the Ministry of Development (MIDA), via the Banana Agri-Food Chain and the Agricultural Directorate, exported two containers, each with over 1000 boxes of bananas, from the province of Bocas del Toro to Miami.
This activity, which had been suspended two years ago, due to the problems that the plantations had after being affected by bad weather, was resumed last week, and a third container was sent yesterday.
According to information provided by the Executive Secretary of the Agri-Food Chain Banana, Luis Saldaña, they are exporting the FHIA 20 and the pink horn varieties. The Juan Olivera and Sons firm in Miami, whose owner is in Panama coordinating exports, is buying these varieties.
Some 12 producers in the communities of El Silencio, Chiriqui Grande and La Mesa, who have grown between 2-40 acres, are participating.
Bocas del Toro has about 1,200 hectares of planted bananas and the company hopes to send 5 containers per week to the United States, therefore the MIDA will increase its technical assistance, thus helping improve the this item's quality.
Source: horacero