Panama's banana sector has lost 450,000 boxes of bananas that it couldn't export in the past week because of the protests in the country. Chiquita Panama, the company responsible for exporting the product, has pointed out that the plantations have been affected by the suspension of agricultural work.
"If this situation continues, the damage will be irreversible and we'll no longer have bananas to export from Panama," Chiquita Panama stated in a press release.
According to the company, bananas are the country's most important export product, accounting for 17.6% of total exports in the first months of the year.
The company calls on its employees to "resume activities to safeguard the fruit and ensure its proper harvest, packaging, and export."
Chiquita Panama emphasized that it respects its employees' political convictions and highlighted the great importance of the sector. Banana cultivation has been a driving force behind the economy in the province of Bocas del Toro for many years and forms the basis of life for thousands of Panamanian families.
Source: laestrella.com.pa