{"id":18112,"date":"2026-10-19T11:45:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-19T16:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/?p=18112"},"modified":"2026-10-19T10:08:56","modified_gmt":"2026-10-19T15:08:56","slug":"35000-liters-of-milk-lost-no-shrimp-the-earthquake-took-everything","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/business-economy\/35000-liters-of-milk-lost-no-shrimp-the-earthquake-took-everything\/","title":{"rendered":"35,000 Liters of Milk Lost, No Shrimp! The Earthquake Took Everything"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Panama earthquake damage<\/strong> from the magnitude 7.5 tremor<\/a> that struck Tonos\u00ed on October 9 has halted rural economic activity<\/a> across Los Santos province<\/a>, with dairy farmers reporting 35,000 liters of milk lost over three consecutive days and a major shrimp operation<\/a> forced to shut down entirely. Power outages and collapsed access roads have cut off dozens of farms, leaving producers unable to reach livestock or transport goods to market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Armando Cede\u00f1o, representing the National Cattlemen’s Association (Anagan) in Los Santos, confirmed the milk losses stemmed from a lack of refrigeration and road damage<\/a> caused by sinkholes in the vados that provide farm access. Meat transport to slaughterhouses also faced significant delays, while some farms remain completely isolated by landslides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Shrimp
The shrimp industry suffered equally severe setbacks. Shrimp Industry Panama by Cepal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Panama Earthquake Damage<\/a> Hits Aquaculture and Jobs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The shrimp industry suffered equally severe setbacks. Samuel Campos, a shrimp producer, reported that Cultivo de Tonos\u00ed, a company generating between 80 and 100 direct jobs, is now completely out of operation. The facility included an internal processing plant, all of which sustained structural destruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Campos detailed that the earthquake destroyed entrance offices, the processing plant, containment walls, and the cultivation farm itself. The system’s floodgates also broke apart. He emphasized that recovery will require financial assistance from state and private banks, as well as direct support from the central government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n