Panama’s Minister of Commerce and Industries, Julio Molto, confirmed that Chiquita Panama LLC will restart banana exports this January. The move finalizes the reactivation of up to 5,000 jobs in the Bocas del Toro Province, stabilizing a regional economy hit hard by sectoral crisis.
During a television interview, Molto stated that 3,000 jobs have already been recovered in an initial phase. The imminent export operations are set to generate an additional 2,000 positions, completing the promised employment revival. Officials report that packing plants are already wrapping fruit in preparation for shipment.
“Plants are already wrapping the fruit and are ready to export. With this, we finally recover the banana sector, our main export emblem,” said Minister Julio Molto. [Translated from Spanish]
The minister linked this jobs-focused recovery to broader government strategy. He cited market expansion, investment attraction, and public works. Molto specifically highlighted Panama’s recent accession as an associate state to the Mercosur trade bloc. He argued this strengthens the country’s logistics platform for re-exporting goods throughout the region.
Broader Economic Transformation Planned for Bocas del Toro
Beyond the immediate banana sector rebound, the government is pursuing a longer-term plan. The Ministry of Commerce, alongside agricultural and labor ministries, presented a productive transformation project for the province to Panama’s Cabinet Council. This initiative focuses squarely on agribusiness and adding value to local products.
The plan includes creating an agro-industrial center. Local producers of cocoa, plantains, and other fruits would use the facility to process, industrialize, and export their goods. The goal is strengthening productive chains and supporting cooperatives. Molto expressed strong confidence in the potential of local cocoa, comparing its quality to Panama’s internationally renowned coffee from Chiriqui.
This development push follows the Chiquita Panama memorandum of understanding signed in 2025. That agreement enabled the immediate reactivation of production and employment. The minister outlined the two-phase jobs target last week, noting it has already stabilized the local economy.
“The government responded with facts to an urgent situation, but this is only the first step,” Molto emphasized. [Translated from Spanish]
He reiterated that the ultimate objective is building a sustainable and diversified development model for the province. The minister, Julio Molto, has consistently connected sector-specific actions to this wider economic vision.
Stabilizing a Key Export Sector
The resumption of exports by Chiquita Brands International subsidiary marks a critical milestone for Panama. The banana industry represents a historical pillar of the nation’s agricultural exports. Its disruption caused significant economic strain in Bocas del Toro, a province heavily dependent on this single crop.
Government intervention, through the 2025 memorandum, provided the framework for this recovery. Officials now stress that job recovery must be paired with economic diversification to prevent future vulnerabilities. The new agro-industrial center concept is a direct response to that need.
Panama’s strategy appears to balance urgent crisis management with medium-term planning. Reactivating the existing banana supply chain addresses immediate unemployment. Simultaneously, developing infrastructure for value-added products seeks to build resilience. This dual approach aims to secure the province’s economic future.
Success in these efforts could provide a model for other agricultural regions in Panama. The focus on leveraging high-quality local products, like cocoa, for international markets is a key component. Officials hope to replicate the premium branding success seen in other Panamanian agricultural exports. The ongoing efforts to manage US tariffs and other export challenges underscore the importance of a stable, multi-pronged trade strategy.
With packing plants active and ships preparing to load, the physical restart of Panama’s banana export engine has begun. The coming months will test the durability of the employment recovery and the initial steps toward the promised economic transformation.