Panama is facing serious impacts in the agricultural sector due to the heavy rains that have hit the country in recent weeks. The most notable damages have been recorded in rice crops, where, according to rice leader Gabriel Arauz, about fifteen hundred hectares have been affected. Of these, approximately three hundred hectares have already been totally lost, especially in areas where the rice fields were ready for harvest. So far, complete assessments in the affected farms have not been possible.
The situation is critical in rice-producing areas and in vegetable crops. These products, directly exposed to the weather, have suffered significant losses. Farmers warn that waterlogged soils are affecting planting and harvesting, creating an uncertain outlook for future food availability.
Producers consulted in Merca Panama indicate that, although there are currently products in the market, shortages could be registered in the medium term, particularly in sensitive crops such as lettuce, bell peppers, and tomatoes. These products have seen price increases: salad tomatoes have risen from 80 cents to 1.25 dollars per pound, lettuce has gone from 1.25 to 2 dollars, and potatoes, from 90 cents to 1 dollar per pound. The rise in prices is largely due to the difficulty of harvesting in flooded soil conditions, which has also generated inventory losses.
Producers lament that profits have been reduced, and sometimes sales are scarce, while the weather continues to affect the harvests and threatens to have a deeper impact on the cost and availability of food in Panama.
