Producers worried about FTA entry into force

Representatives of various producer associations in the country are concerned about the entry into force Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with the United States that they cared about Committee for Agricultural Affairs of the National Assembly (AN)to express their concerns and ask for support, during a session attended by the Minister of Agricultural Development, Augusto Valderrama.

Valderrama said they responded to a request made by the pig and poultry sector Assembly to re-examine the question of the manufacturer in order to creatively and intelligently see how to prevent the disappearance of these items and the loss of jobs.

The second thing is to use all the advantages it has as a country to increase productivity, efficiency and guarantee that the agricultural sector is one of the important bulwarks in peace, and in social distribution of Panama.

He Minister Valderrama indicated that the Government of Panama has signed an FTA with the United States and despite the fact that the manufacturing sector in the process of these negotiations drew the attention of the governments of the day to the care that should be taken in negotiations on sensitive sectors, they were not listened to.

He added that it was pointed out that NOW We are talking about a world power, an economy a thousand times larger than Panama’s and that it was important that the contracts that were negotiated respected the difference in the asymmetry that existed in the economies and that, unfortunately, the negotiations did not proceed in the right direction.

He emphasized that, despite the many benefits, one of the sectors most affected by the agreement is the pig farming sector, which, due to the reduction in taxes applied, are worried that they could be seriously affected from this year. more than 8,000 tons entered pork through the agreement, poultry, rice and part of the dairy sector.

Chief Mida emphasized that the president Laurentino Cortizo responsible with The General Office of the Republic, Mida and the Ministry of Trade and Industrythey requested through a note to the ministers of agriculture and trade of the United States to see the possibility, which exists within the framework of the agreement for the protection of these sectors, for the revision of the FTA, due to the global uncertainty that has experienced since the pandemic, the total increase of fertilizers and thus of food costs.

Carlos Pitty, President National Association of Pig Breeders (Anapor) He pointed out that they are trying to get rid of the risks for the Republic of Panama brought by the contract, which the agricultural producers refused from the very beginning.

He added that if they allow these four items to be affected Panama agriculture will practically remain at a minimum expression and what is most unfortunate is that unemployment will be generated precisely in those areas where employment is constant.

Deputy Eric bronze He stated that this issue is extremely important for Panama because it is another activity that creates new jobs at the national level, which implies that if it is not kept in force, it touches the survival of many Panamanians, so it is important to defend with what is appropriate, with what is duly established in the constitutional norms, in the laws of the assembly, executive decrees so that the national production is not affected

The authorities agreed to conduct another one meeting continue to analyze and look for alternatives, on Tuesday, March 21, in the Assembly.

They also participated in this event Luis Carlos Castroverdepresident of the association National Association of Poultry Breeders of Panama (Anavip)work team, and directors of various institutions in the agriculture sector.