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Chiquita to return to Panama with $30 million investment and 5,000 jobs
Chiquita Brands will invest $30 million to restart banana production in Panama's Bocas del Toro, creating 5,000 jobs after a strike halted operations and caused $75 million in losses.
Chiquita Brands agreed on Friday to resume operations in Panama's Bocas del Toro province after months of suspension and worker layoffs.
The restart follows a three-month strike over pension reforms that led Chiquita to fire over 6,000 workers and cease operations in May.
The agreement involves Chiquita committing around $30 million to restart production on 5,000 hectares of farmland, with an initial workforce of 3,000 employees and an additional 2,000 to be hired in a subsequent phase.
Panama President Jose Raul Mulino expressed his commitment to fostering investment, enhancing production, and generating employment opportunities, describing the agreement as a fresh start.
The government aims for full operations by February 2026, supported by a technical panel overseeing compliance, signaling renewed confidence in Panama's banana industry.
Thousands of Chiquita workers protested against a pension reform in Panama. The banana company announced to them and left the country. Now the company is coming back, but offers fewer jobs than before.