agriculture

Flooding figures released

Flooding in the Chiriquí highlands in November affected 138 hectares of crops and ruined 6,124 quintals (1 quintal=100 pounds) of various crops in Cerro Punta, according to a report by the National Directorate of Agriculture.

The flooding impacted 144 producers from 14 communities in Cerro Punta. The main crops affected were potatoes, lettuce, carrots and cabbage.

These commercial producers are still awaiting assistance. However, the national director of agriculture, Maximino Díaz, said that “they are being followed up on, and the ministry is working to make some financial contributions and send supplies and seeds” to allow producers to recover as soon as possible.

Virgilio Saldaña, a potato and onion farmer and president of the Association of Highland Producers, confirmed that aid has still not been delivered, and said that government help is needed urgently or farmers may not be able to recover.