agriculture

Potato prices double

Many Panamanians may have to forgo the traditional salad of potatoes and cod this Lent season following a record increase in the price of potatoes. At supermarkets nationwide, a pound of potatoes hovers between 95 cents and a dollar, nearly double the average cost last year.

According to the director of the Ministerio de Desarrollo Agropecuario (Mida) Henry Ledezma, reduced potato yields and the subsequent price surge can be attributed to heavy rainfall during the potato planting months of October and November.

In addition to the rains, Ante Fistonich, a farmer in Cerro Punta, attributes the spud shortage to various socio-economic factors. These include issues such as a lack of certified potato seeds in local markets as well as the growing popularity of local unions among field workers. Labor costs could skyrocket if workers unionize.

Rumors of potato crop imports also struck fear of falling prices into the farming community, prompting more cautious farmers to plant lettuce instead, a more reliable crop with lower overhead costs.

In an effort to boost production, Mida stated that the amount of land in Cerro Punta designated to potato cultivation will be extended by 12 percent, which would hypothetically generate enough to meet domestic demand in the future; that is, if farmers can hold their ground against union threats.