Agricultural exporters and producers of pineapple in the province of Panama Oeste asked the government for help to promote business rounds and international fairs, as well as to improve production roads.
Luis Carrasco, a producer from the area of Sangüenga, said the production roads had problems that had worsened with the rains.
Even though the main roads have been paved, they have deteriorated due to a lack of maintenance by the authorities.
Carrasco said that the lack of aid from the Government has had an impact on the reduction of the number of producers and the hectares cultivated with this fruit.
According to records of the Ministry of Agricultural Development, there were 160 producers and 1,700 cultivated hectares in the 2015-2016 agricultural year.
By the end of the 2016-2017 agricultural year, the number had decreased to 132 pineapple producers and 1,194 hectares.
Carrasco also said that the price of agricultural inputs had increased. In the last 10 years the cost of a bag of urea increased from $14 to 30 dollars.
These increases force producers to sell a dozen pineapples in the local market for 8 to 15 dollars.
Source: panamaamerica.com.pa