Onion producers from Panama said they were losing the battle against imports, as these are increasing day by day.
Augusto Jimenez, president of the Association of Producers from the Highlands, said that they had lost an estimated 7,000 quintals of onions, worth $ 250,000 dollars, in the fields between August and December last year.
"We were self-sufficient in 2008. Tierras altas had eight hundred of the 1,160 hectares cultivated in the country, and a total of 560 producers. Currently, there are only 79 producers with 126 hectares. That's a significant decline," he said.
He also said it was very ironic that Panamanian producers had to confront the government regarding food shortages, when they have domestic production.
He said that, given the inaction of the authorities, the producers' only hope was to enforce the import protocol with the Netherlands. Unfortunately, that protocol is not being enforced.
Source: panamaamerica.com.pa