Even though total exports have increased by 7.7%, experts say that the economic situation and lack of support from the Government continues to affect the tropical fruit sector.
According to a report by the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic, in the first four months of the year exports of pineapple, a flagship product of the country amounted to $ 4, 471,000 this year, i.e. 6% less than the $ 4,754,000 achieved in the same period in 2016.
Meanwhile, melon exports amounted to $1,944,000 dollars, i.e. 26.8% less than the $ 2,656,000 dollars achieved in 2016.
Another item that showed negative figures was watermelon, as exports in the first four months of this year amounted to $ 7,487,000 dollars, 34.2% less than the $ 11,000,387 achieved in the same period last year.
Diomedes Carrasco, a pineapple producer, said that the crisis in Europe two years ago affected the export of the items.
He also said that so far they haven't received help from the Government to be able to defray the expenses in the production.
"Many producers stopped harvesting because international and domestic sales fell and they could not even recover their production costs," he said.
He also stated that a few years ago, farmers planted 10 hectares and now they only plant 5 because the price has decreased too much.
However, Carrasco does not lose hope that by the end of this year the figures will be positive compared to 2015.
A report from the Ministry of Agricultural Development shows that pineapple production in the agricultural year 2014-2015 decreased by 8.9% (270,105 quintals), when compared to the 2013-2014, when it amounted to 3,0 12,608 quintals.
Similarly, there was a 17% decrease in the share of producers and 8% in the area sown.
Source: panamaamerica.com.pa