Panama’s MICI Confirms a Meeting with Chiquita in Order to Reactivate Banana Exports

Panama will resume exporting bananas to the international market in early 2026, as confirmed this Tuesday by the Minister of Commerce and Industries (MICI), Julio Moltó, during the protocolary acts held on November 4.  The minister explained that the meeting with Chiquita Panama, originally scheduled for October, will now take place in November. The goal is to establish an inter-institutional working group with the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA) and other related entities. 

“They are working according to what was agreed in the memorandum of understanding that we signed,” Moltó explained, noting that the cleaning of the banana farms and the hiring of personnel for their maintenance are currently underway.  The first phase of the project involves hiring 3,000 employees, and an additional 2,000 positions are planned to be added in January, in line with the agreements reached during President José Raúl Mulino’s official tour to Brazil last August.

 “We should begin exporting Panamanian bananas in January, which is excellent news. It is our main export product, and it is very positive that it is returning to international markets,” stated the head of the MICI.  Moltó highlighted that bananas have historically been the country’s largest export product, and noted that, so far this year, Panama has surpassed the monthly export records registered in the last 15 years, even without including copper or bananas.  “We are supporting our exporters and producers to sell abroad. We want to continue strengthening strategic sectors like cocoa, without neglecting other sectors such as pineapple, coffee, and seafood,” he concluded.