Ricardo Sotelo, President of the Union of Industrialists of Panama (SIP), raises that these problems make the country poorer, which translates into higher unemployment rates, fewer quality jobs and the reduction of investment, which would damage the quality of life of Panamanians.
The dependence that Panama has on imports for local consumption threatens the availability of food in the country and food security.
This situation is reflected in the increase of the deficit of the trade balance in an 8.4% in the past five years, according to statistics from the Secretariat of Central American Integration (Sieca).
Added to this problem are the repeated warnings from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) about the possibility of future food shortages worldwide due to climate change.
This situation could affect Panamanians, taking into account that the production of food in Panama is gradually falling since the agricultural sector remains quite affected and does not produce enough for the local consumption.
One of the main effects would be on the availability that we would have to get food in the international market, said economist Augusto García.
He noted that facing this deficit in the trade balance, which by 2015 was $11 thousand 440 million 355 thousand, the impact would be placed on food security, since the availability of products for local consumption would be much more difficult and the agricultural sector would not produce enough.
He added that the situation of the agricultural sector is made evident even in this sector to the gross domestic product (GDP) contributions, which by 2015 was only 0.4%.
Ricardo Sotelo, President of the Union of Industrialists of Panama (SIP), raises that these problems make the country poorer, which translates into higher unemployment rates, fewer quality jobs and the reduction of investment, which would damage the quality of life of Panamanians.
He added that this could be improved if Panama harnessed most of the treaties and agreements it has signed with other countries.
The Sieca statistics show the advantage that the business partners of Panama continue to have, despite the signing of several trade agreements that promised large benefits.
For example, the United States exported to the country in 2015 some 3,137 million dollars, while Panama sold about $130 million.
China exported to the country 1,158 million dollars in goods and imported only about $40 million dollars from Panamanian soil.
Meanwhile, Mexico made imports to Panama in 2015 for 621 million dollars, while shipments from Panama to the Aztec land totaled just $13.5 million.
In the case of Costa Rica, this country exported $454 million and the imports from Panama were $53 million.
Meanwhile, South Korea exported to Panama $428 million and Panamanian imports to the Asian nation were $12 million.
The comparison of what Panama sells its partners with what they are buying from us left evidence that the treaties have not boosted our foreign trade.
The President of the IAPA added that, in general terms, the signing of these agreements has only served to promote imports from other countries and not exports.
Situation which, in the opinion of Sotelo, is a "crime" because it makes no sense signing an FTA if our country is not prepared to participate and get the most.
Aida Michelle de Maduro, Vice President of the National Council of Private Enterprise (Conep), agrees that FTA´s have not been used by the country.
She stressed that we have failed to give more information to the productive sectors on how these treaties can be exploited.
Meanwhile, to Economist Samuel Moreno, the deficit is generated because Panama has always focused on developing a service economy rather than improve its food production sector.
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