Chiquita Brands is considering a return to Puerto Armuelles, Panama, after its dramatic departure 10 years ago cost the region its economic stability, according to Panama America.
If an agreement is reached between the company, government, and former banana workers, about 6 million boxes of bananas could be exported from the region, according to estimates.
Julio Vásquez, Manager of Chiquita in the province, said that, "the only thing needed to begin negotiations and re-start banana activity in Puerto Armuelles is deciding the economic model by which the activity will be conducted."
The economic future of Puerto Armuelles depends on this negotiation. The region - plagued by unemployment - can't afford to repeat the mistakes that led to the end of the banana deal in the first place.
Despite the company's strong interest in restarting its banana activity in the area, Vasquez noted that it would be difficult to separate the history of what happened in Puerto Armuelles from the upcoming negotiations.
"It is a fact that the lands now belong to the workers. We need to find ways to reinvest significant amounts of resources in these lands to return them to viability," Vasquez said.
The return of the banana industry to the region would bring about 5,000 jobs in a period of two to three years.
