Summer blues water and ice cream shortage

CONSUMERS in Panama City and Arraijan will be hit by two shortages on Saturday, January 25 – water and ice cream.

The water shortage will be relatively short, 12 hours in Panama, eight in Arraijan, as service will be suspended for repairs to the water treatment plant in Chilibre, says water and sewage authority (Idaan) director, Abdiel Cano.

The Panama suspension is to allow for routine maintenance at the Chitre plant. For Arraijan it is due to the relocation of a valve in Vacamonte.
The waterless period for Panama will begin at midnight Friday, January 25, and last until noon. The dry spell in Arrajian will be from 8 am to 4 pm on Saturday.
For ice cream lovers the shortage, already underway will be for around another three weeks
The company that dominates 90% of the market is not placing its products on the market due to works taking place at its processing plant.
Grupo Estrella Azul, a major national producer of milk, ice cream, and fruit juices has halted ice cream operations for a month due to a modification and maintenance plan at its plant in Transístmica.
The brand has a 90% share of the ice cream market and according to reports has managed to stockpile a 10 to 12 day supply while the plant is out of operation.The company was acquired by the Mexican distributor of Coca Cola, two years ago.

"The shortage began a week ago, leading to other brands in the market such as Bonlac and Borden filling the gap created by Estrella Azul ice cream, but it has been difficult to cope with the high demand," CentralAmericaData reports

"Over the next 25 days Estrella Azul ice creams will not be on the market. We can foresee three scenarios; imports are increased, other local producers increase their production, or in the most dramatic case, consumers will be faced with a more intense and prolonged shortage."