This is the investment required to increase exports of melon and watermelon, said Edwin Pérez, president of the Union of Agricultural Exporters.
April recorded drops of 68.8% in melon exports and of 53.4% for watermelon, when compared to the same period of 2008, according to figures from the General Comptroller of the Republic.
Cindy Calderón writes in the Panamá América website: "Máximo Gallardo, president of the Panamanian Exporters Association (Apex, Spanish acronym), stated that a lack of financing for producers, European customs restrictions and the economic crisis are the main factors behind the drop in exports of these non traditional products."
Agro-exporters are not using Euro-Certificate alternatives because they consider that the "procedure is complicated."
The president of the Panamanian Association of Exporters (APEX), Max Gallardo, said that delays in issuance and indirect costs cause many exporters to bear the cost of the loss of EU tariff preferences.
Mary Triny wrote in Prensa.com: "Since the return of these tariffs (four months) was allowed, there were 25 Euro-Certificates emitted for $177,565, said Severo Sousa, Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade."