On February 2, 2026, the government authorized extraordinary measures for the import of rice seed, aiming to ensure the grain does not run out and that producers can sow without hindrances in the next agricultural cycle. The decision is based on Article 122 of the Constitution, where the State assumes the duty to protect and strengthen the agricultural sector. In plain terms: if there is no good seed, there is no rice, and if there is no rice, the blow is felt in the people's pockets. Under this measure, the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA) will allow producers of rice for human consumption, both natural and legal persons, to import certified seed, as long as it is registered as a commercial variety in its country of origin and complies with all current legal norms. This is not an open door without control, but a supervised pathway. All seed entering the country will be inspected by the National Directorate of Plant Health, which will be in charge of quality controls and phytosanitary requirements. MIDA made it clear that the responsibility for the importation falls solely on whoever brings the seed, disassociating the State from any economic or legal consequences. The procedure is not improvised. The message is direct: ensure national production, avoid shortages, and give a break to the producer who lives off the land, not off speeches. Producers must register as importers, present official documentation of the commercial varieties, deliver the analysis of the batches issued by the authority of the country of origin, and comply with the tests required in phytosanitary matters. Additionally, they must sign a notarial agreement committing to use the seed only for sowing on their own plots, without selling it or passing it on to third parties. The amount of seed authorized will be only what is necessary to cover what is established in that agreement. Once the seed arrives in the country and passes the quarantine controls, Plant Health will certify its final quality before it touches Panamanian soil. This extraordinary measure will be in effect for the 2026-2027 agricultural cycle and will begin to apply from its promulgation. President José Raúl Mulino signed a measure that directly affects the field and the table of the Panamanian.
