The Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA) stated that the Agricultural Marketing Institute (IMA) would import a quota of onions to avoid a shortage of onions in the country.
The measure was taken after some producers and traders requested Jorge Arango, the head of the MIDA, to import this item.
Arango said the government had taken measures to encourage consumption of the national product so as to support producers in the highlands of the Chiriqui province.
Arango said that the goal was to "prevent the existing anarchy in the market, enabling the entire chain to operate in an organized manner."
The Minister reiterated that, after meeting with members of the potatoes and onions chain, they had confirmed that the domestic production would not be enough to cover the country's needs.
To avoid a shortage of onions, the MIDA instructed the IMA to take measures to ensure the import volume in the market.
At some point today, the IMA should announce how many onions it will import.
