Panama has Resumed Banana Exports from Chiquita
The Minister of Commerce and Industries, Julio Moltó, indicated that part of the production is already being placed in European markets such as the Netherlands.
Chiquita has resumed its banana operations in Panama and is currently exporting fruit. Following a major labor strike and sector shutdown in 2025, the company and the Panamanian government reached an agreement. They have since reactivated production across approximately 5,000 hectares in the Bocas del Toro province.
Washing bananas at one of the farms reactivated by Chiquita in Changuinola, Bocas del Toro.
The multinational fruit company is ramping up shipments out of the region through both neighboring Costa Rica and directly via the Port of Almirante in Panama. The operation is following a highly successful recovery phase:
- Export Volumes: Chiquita expects to export 11 million boxes of bananas from the Bocas del Toro region in the coming months, with projections targeting 15 million boxes in the coming year.
- Economic Impact: The phased restart has already reactivated hundreds of banana-related jobs and is on track to restore up to 5,000 roles across local packing and harvesting facilities.
Bananas produced by Chiquita in Bocas del Toro returned to supermarkets in Europe and the United States, following the gradual reactivation of the company’s operations, which remained paralyzed for several months due to the protests registered in Changuinola between April and June 2025. Currently, approximately 350,000 boxes are processed weekly. The company reported that 5,200 hectares have been reclaimed for banana production and that 17 farms are operating under the new business model. In total, about 20 plantation areas are being cultivated.
