(prensa.com) Panamanian exporters again suffered through a year of declining business, the second year in a row exports have dropped.
In 2010, the value of exported goods was $725 million, a decline of 11.7 percent from 2009. That meant the value of Panama’s exports dropped by $95 million.
The biggest declined were in the exports of beef parts (94.8 percent), oil products (71.5 percent), melons (64 percent) and fresh fish (53.4 percent.)
Bananas (6.6 percent), unrefined sugar (43.8 percent), coffee (44.1 percent) and hides and skins (110.5 percent) showed the largest increases, according to figures from the Office of the Comptroller.
Exporters blame declining business on the loss of tax credit programs and subsidies. But they said it is only a temporary problem.
Exports of minerals are also expected to boost the sector due to the expansion of mining operations across the country