Onion growers threaten to close Pan-America highway

ONION producers from Nata in Cocle Province, are threatening to close the Pan-Americanhighway on Sunday, if they fail to get satisfactory responses from national agriculture authorities on Saturday, May 2.

Growers say that, the Institute of Agricultural Marketing (IMA) made a commitment to purchase the product and store it in their premises, located in Penonomé. This did not occur because sugar from Cuba that was seized from the North Korean ship Chong Chon Gang, is still filling the warehouse.
Then the government said it would pay the rent from other establishments. That was pending and now some of the onion crop is still in the field and some is stored in the homes of the producers reports La Prensa.
Members of the Ariel Chanis Multiple Services Cooperative have asked President Juan Carlos Varela to resolve the situation.
A Saturday meeting was planned at the offices of the cooperative, with the participation of the regional directors of IMA and the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA), the governor of Cocle and the producers