Chiquita Banana Resumes Operations in Panama

After months of inactivity, the multinational company Chiquita Banana has resumed operations in Panama, announcing that the first exports are set for February.

Chiquita closed operations in Panama last year after a labor dispute and significant layoffs. As reported by EFE, Chiquita Panama spokesperson Alexander Gabarrete stated that this first harvest is intended entirely for the domestic market.

Currently, 20 to 30 workers are processing the fruit at the packing facility located in El Empalme, within the western province of Bocas del Toro.

According to Gabarrete, the recent harvest provides an opportunity to evaluate the performance of the packing facilities following the maintenance and repairs performed during the shutdown.

The foundation of the multinational’s operations in Panama will be the sharecropping model, which permits local farmers to utilize land without transferring ownership while ensuring that Chiquita maintains its standards for production and acquisition.

The strike initiated by the Banana Industry Workers Union (Sitraibana) in April 2025 lasted approximately two months. It was a direct response to the workers’ opposition to social security reforms implemented in Panama.

This dispute ultimately resulted in the dismissal of 6,500 employees and incurred losses of US$75 million for Chiquita.

The multinational announced the resumption of its operations late last year following negotiations with the government, led by President José Raúl Mulino.

Under this renewed framework, Chiquita has committed to investing US$30 million to restore production on 5,000 hectares of land, as well as to fund logistics and the export process for the fruit.