According to Analeidys Chen, the president of Gantrap (Union of Non traditional Agricultural Exporters from Panama) who is dedicated to exporting melon and watermelon from Las Tablas to European countries, the production of melon, watermelon, and pumpkin for export decreased between 50 and 60% in the province of Los Santos due to a lack of water sources.
The region of Azuero, which was considered the # 1 producer of export items in 2008, has had an enormous decrease in production.
Despite this decrease, exports have not gone down as producers from other provinces have supplied the fruit that the region does not have so that Azuero can continue exporting agricultural products.
Chen said that there was a shortage of water sources (streams or rivers) in the region of Los Santos as they had disappeared completely, and that only a few farms, which had underground wells were currently producing.
To meet their commitments with the market, producers from the region have had the help of an average of eight producers from other regions (such as Calobre and Chiriqui), and have rented land along La Villa river, as well as in the area of El Barrero of Pese.
The president of Gantrap said that her company had increased exports by 30 containers and that they hadn't increased it more because they were afraid to continue producing because of the lack of water.
That's why the 2016 harvest was quite short. Many producers wanted to get rid of their products no later than April, and that they have.
Regarding the market, she said there were customers interested in buying watermelons, both in their normal destinations and in new European countries and Canada.
The problem is that there is no water and the only option left is to move to other regions.
Chen said they were producing because the agricultural exporters had sought markets, visited destination countries, and are investing so they can produce.
Source: panamaamerica.com.pa