Panama is working with Morocco to get more agricultural fertilisers as prices rise worldwide and shortages loom.
The Panamanian government plans to import about 1,000 tonnes of fertiliser through Morocco’s international cooperation agency. Most of it will go to small farmers.
Officials say the shipment should reach Panama in about six weeks, although transport and buying arrangements could affect the timing.
Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha said the fertilisers would be sold at fair prices, but he did not give more details. The plan is part of efforts to protect local farmers from sudden price spikes in the global market.
The move comes after lessons from 2022, when fertiliser prices jumped sharply after Russia invaded Ukraine. For example, the price of urea, a common fertiliser, rose from about $20 per quintal to nearly $100 before falling again, but never back to the old levels.
The Panamanian president has said the government will not provide direct subsidies to control fertiliser prices for now. Instead, it wants to bring in supplies from different countries and work more with international partners.
Panama uses more fertilisers than most countries in Central America, about six times the regional average, and spends over $40 million a year on them.
