A press release from the Legislative Assembly reads:
Members of the Agricultural Affairs Committee of the National Assembly together with producers of rice and other items in Chiriqui and the central provinces, have agreed to form a subcommittee that will collect, within a month, proposals for the development of a document containing the necessary tools to boost agricultural production in the country.
At the meeting, described as fruitful, and which was held by the Rice Producers and Basic Grains Association of Chiriqui, (Apache), the legislators listened intently to suggestions by those affected, who demanded better conditions for the marketing and purchase of materials because according to them, the price hike is about to push them out of the market.
The chairman of the Committee, Miguel Fanovich, said the legislative is aware that the agricultural sector has traditionally been a very important activity for the country and now represents food security for Panamanians, and for this reason, they need to find the mechanisms that are necessary to ensure the sector is not abandoned due to the lack of support.
Faced with the problem, the commissioners have been meeting with all national producers to listen to their demands and thereby unify criteria conducive to the development of this primary activity essential for humans.
In his speech, the president of Apache, Santiago Esquivel explained that the main obstacles facing the sector are the high costs of production and materials, as well as credit facilities in order to assume the effect of increases that have occurred on those who make their living from this business.
The producer reported that last year alone in Chiriqui, producers discontinued planting 10,000 hectares of rice, and is expected that little by little the farmers in the area will follow suit and stop planting one of Panama’s most important staple foods.
The subcommittee is composed of the deputies Jose Lozada, who will preside of it, Irene Gallegos and Julio Luque, who together with producers will develop the proposal.
Source: Asamblea Nacional de Panamá
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