Prime Minister Office of Republic of Panama : Advances process for the reactivation of the banana zone in Chiriquí and Bocas del Toro

A meeting with the business sectors in Chiriquí to announce the progress of the law contract for the reactivation of the banana zone in Barú held representatives of the Executive.

The legal advisor to the Ministry of the Presidency, Javier Marquínez, expressed that the execution of the contract with Banapiña Panama, S.A,, is 40% ahead of the lease with the lands of the Nation and the contractual situation of former employees of Coosemupar; among others.

Marquínez remembered that through this law contract will be invested more than 100 million balboas in a period of seven years to encourage the reactivation of these banana zones, which would generate more than 3,100 direct jobs and 12,000 others indirectly.

It is expected that for the month of December the company Banapiña Panama S.A., manage to enter the Mango and Jobito farms and start the work for the cultivation of the fruit.

For the president of the Chamber of Commerce of Barú, Eyra Sánchez, this meeting was extremely important, since the doubts raised about the reactivation of the zone, which is 'a hope, not only for this district (Barú) , but for other areas such as Alanje and Bocas del Toro, which will benefit from this measure.

Meanwhile the deputy of Barú Carlos Motta described as positive the explanations of the Executive to businessmen and residents, as 'this is a State issue, in which President Juan Carlos Varela and other sectors are committed'.

This agreement was established for a 20 years renewable and once it is implemented, it will activate the production of 900 hectares per year, with an annual productivity of approximately 2,275 boxes of bananas per hectare.