Panama’s IMA Gets up Early for the People: More than 5,000 are Served Before 8:00 am

Even before sunrise, the Christmas market set up in the Agua Bendita sector of Chilibre was already packed. At 4:00 a.m., they began opening their registers three hours earlier than planned to serve the thousands of residents of North Panama who arrived early looking for ham and other products to stock up for the end-of-year holidays.  This was explained by Nilo Murillo, director of the IMA (Agricultural Marketing Institute), who emphasized that the strategy yielded immediate results.  Murillo clarified that no one had to wait in line overnight, thanks to the organization and the sufficient quantity of products

They explained that 15,000 Christmas bags are available in Chilibre, while other nearby locations have an additional 10,000, allowing for a more manageable flow of people and preventing overcrowding.  “There’s no product problem here. The quantities are well balanced and the circuit doesn’t stop until the last person in line leaves,” he assured.  The director of the IMA also highlighted the support received from the community boards, the municipality and the National Police, pointing directly to Commissioner Jaime Fernández, whom he thanked for the constant support in security and logistics.  “This is a team effort. Nobody improvises here.

Everything is planned so that Panamanians can arrive, buy, and leave with peace of mind,” he said.  Murillo was emphatic in condemning the “playing the game” of people who try to sell spots or places in lines, a practice he described as an evil against the people.  “That’s not what the IMA is doing. The police are already taking action, and we’re going to take this to the administrative authorities to eradicate it completely,” he warned.  Christmas markets continue this week in different parts of the country, including San Antonio, Roberto Durán and San Miguelito, with the promise of continuing to bring food at affordable prices and direct relief to the Panamanian’s wallet.