Applications to work on banana farms in Changuinola exceeded initial expectations, according to data from the Ministry of Labor and Workforce Development. The company had planned to hire 3,000 workers in the first phase, but 5,837 people applied during the five-day job fair.
The final day of the fair, held on November 15, registered 1,726 participants seeking field positions. The Minister of Labor said that in the first stage, they expect to hire around 3,000 people and an additional 2,000 by the end of the year. She added that the company has plans to restart operations with an initial shipment at the end of January 2026 and harvest bananas beginning in February, which will require an active workforce.
Donations gathered during the fair were distributed among the five sharecropping companies linked to the banana operation, where production is being reactivated. These are Las Tablas Assets, Guabito Assets, Las 30 Assets, Las 60 Assets, and Finca 8 Internacional. The farms operate under a sharecropping model in which the company grants the farms to local producer associations for their use, while the company purchases the fruit and markets it internationally.
Operations resumed in September after the Panamanian government and the company signed a memorandum of understanding in August to ensure continuity of activity on the banana farms. Production had been halted between May and July following protests in the province, which resulted in the dismissal of about 6,000 workers.
The hiring process is part of the broader effort to reestablish labor capacity for the upcoming harvest and shipment plans.
Source: Newsroom Panama
