“Following an initial assessment of the damage to the banana plantations caused by the strike, we will proceed with the permanent suspension of production at one entire plantation and additional areas—equivalent to two plantations—in Bocas del Toro,” the company said in a statement issued on May 12.
The company stated that it will carry out the legal and administrative procedures necessary to permanently cease operations in the cultivation and packing areas.
“With the strike entering its third consecutive week, Chiquita Panama reiterates that with each passing day, the loss of fruit and damage to the cultivation areas continue to increase, making it impossible to reverse this negative impact in the short term,” the statement read.
The company warned that international markets “are already replacing Panamanian banana exports with products from other countries, creating a major obstacle to regaining this space in the international market.”
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Chiquita Panama issued two urgent calls to its workers to resume their duties in order to protect the fruit and ensure its proper harvesting, packing, and export.
As of May 9, 900,000 boxes of bananas intended for export had already been lost, with losses exceeding $10 million.
“These figures continue to rise as the suspension of work on the plantations is prolonged. Each day without harvesting represents an irrecoverable loss in terms of fruit, because its perishable nature means it cannot be stored or postponed for a later harvest,” the company stated.
Banana production is the country’s primary export sector, accounting for 17.6% of total exports in the first months of the year.
