In Panama's Tierras Altas, potato and onion producers indicate that increased harvest volumes may lead to more affordable prices. 2024's late rains disrupted harvest cycles, causing a temporary shortage that impacted consumer costs. Lorenzo Jiménez, a local producer, noted that potato and onion supplies are beginning to stabilize, with market distribution normalizing and prices becoming more accessible.
Jiménez highlighted that while regularization takes time, distribution is already on the rise. The region annually produces over 800,000 quintals of potatoes, surpassing the national production of approximately 600,000 quintals. He attributed this year's challenges to unforeseen seed genetics issues and an unusual storm, which had not occurred in years.
The price per quintal previously reached $140 but is now declining. Jiménez remarked, "Potatoes always cost 60, 50, and 40 cents; that's typically the regular price, perhaps not what we expected, but it's always the price that has historically held."
Source: MENAFN