Panama President Mulino Announced Measures to Address the Milk Crisis

Panama City, Panama:  President José Raúl Mulino stated this Thursday, August 14, that he is working to find “immediate emergency” measures to prevent the loss of grade C milk production and open channels to absorb the approximately 35,000 liters that Nestlé stopped purchasing. But he sent a message: “If they don’t buy domestic milk, they won’t import.”  Recall that the company notified the country of a temporary reduction in production frequency for its Ideal evaporated milk line, produced at the plant located in Natá de los Caballeros, Coclé province. The decision is due to a sustained decline in demand for the product, as well as the impact of the introduction of imported substitutes, which have changed consumer habits in the country.

The company clarified that this measure seeks to protect the operational continuity of the Natá factory the first established by Nestlé in Central America, which currently provides employment to more than 300 families.  Mulino warns dairy companies: “If you don’t buy domestically, you won’t import.” The president has asked the Ministry of Health to work on regulations that would require businesses to inform whether products are “not made with real cheese, real cheese, real milk,” and to call things by their name for the benefit of the consumer.  Milk production has been impacted by the rising cost of imported products such as fertilizers.