While the Panamanian poultry sector has undergone significant growth in recent years, the country continues to rely heavily on imports to meet local demand, a situation that the farmers’ organization has ambitions to reverse.
Over the past four years, Panama has received imports of chicken thighs and whole birds duty-free from the U.S. amounting to 4,029 tons with a value of US$1.5 million, according to a report in La Prensa.
The trade is covered by the Trade Promotion Agreement between the two countries, and the trade is managed by the Panama Poultry Export Quota (Pan-Peq), which comprises representatives from the National Association of Poultry Farmers of Panama (ANAVIP) and the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council (USAPEEC).
Around half of the funds generated by the bidding process – US$1.5 million – is used to support Panama’s poultry industry through training and promotion, according to Mateo Paz Soldan, Pan-Peq administrator. Overall aim of the fund is to increase the competitiveness of the sector in Panama.
Despite this support, Panama has not yet achieved its goal to export poultry meat to the U.S., said Pan-Peq vice president, Robert Toledano. He wants to see further development of the local industry so that the trade can be reciprocated.
Growth of Panama poultry industry
Panama’s poultry industry has grown over recent years, against a general decline in the country’s agriculture generally.
In the first 10 months of the year, the poultry industry recorded growth of 8 percent compared to the same period last year, Luis Carlos Castroverde, president of ANAVIP told La Prensa earlier this month.
The poultry industry now contributes US$329 million or 23 percent of total agricultural income in the country, Castroverde said at opening of this year’s National Poultry Congress.
Efforts to boost consumption of poultry products in Panama have met with success. According to ANAVIP, annual per-capita-chicken meat consumption increased by 3 lbs (1.4kg) in 2015 to 87 lbs (39.5kg), and egg uptake rose by 17 eggs to 154.
Panama’s poultry sector is concentrated in the central provinces of Panama East, West Panama, Veraguas and Coclé.
