---
title: "Black Sigatoka Threatens Panama Banana and Plantain Crops Amid Heavy Rains"
date: 2026-09-12
author: "Panama Daily News"
url: https://panamadaily.news/2026/09/12/black-sigatoka-threatens-panama-banana-and-plantain-crops-amid-heavy-rains/
categories:
  - "News"
---

# Black Sigatoka Threatens Panama Banana and Plantain Crops Amid Heavy Rains

Panama’s banana and plantain producers are facing renewed pressure from black sigatoka, a fungal disease that thrives in the heavy rains and humidity currently battering the key growing regions of Bocas del Toro and Chiriquí. The government has pledged drainage and fumigation support as growers warn of potential shortages and price pressure for the domestic plantain market.

## What Happened

Black sigatoka, caused by a fungus that attacks the leaves of banana and plantain plants, was among the central topics discussed at a September 11 meeting between Agricultural Development Minister Roberto Linares and roughly 14 producer associations in Changuinola.

The Ministry of Agricultural Development (Mida) acknowledged the high rainfall affecting Bocas del Toro and announced support for rehabilitating and building drainage channels, as well as fumigation efforts to help medium and small producers control the disease.

The fungus reduces the foliage plants need to complete bunch development. In severe cases, it can trigger premature ripening of the fruit — a critical problem for export bananas that must travel long distances before reaching consumers.

Agronomist Luis Nuques, a Bocas del Toro producer with decades of experience in the sector, explained that the combination of humidity and heat can accelerate leaf loss. A severe infection can leave some plants with only four or five leaves by the time they approach harvest.

## Background

Bocas del Toro is the heartland of Panama’s banana industry. During the 2023-2024 agricultural year, Panama produced roughly 24.9 million bunches of bananas, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC). Of these, about 15.5 million bunches — around 62% — came from Bocas del Toro, with Changuinola alone accounting for more than 14.4 million.

National production covered 16,687.98 hectares, underscoring how concentrated the industry is in areas now exposed to favorable conditions for the disease.

The first signs of black sigatoka appear as spots or streaks on leaves that darken and spread as the disease progresses. The damage reduces the surface area available for photosynthesis, the process by which the plant obtains the energy needed to develop the bunch. A technical guide prepared by the Agricultural Extension Service of the University of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Department of Agriculture notes that excessive loss of leaf area can reduce bunch weight and quality and even cause premature fruit ripening.

Panama exported approximately 8.3 million boxes of bananas in 2025 — some 147.9 million kilograms valued at B/.73.4 million, according to INEC. That was a sharp drop from the 17.9 million boxes exported in 2024, a decline of roughly 54%. However, that fall was not caused by sigatoka. It was primarily linked to the strike that paralyzed banana activity in Bocas del Toro for weeks and the subsequent temporary halt of Chiquita’s operations. The sector is currently in a recovery process.

## What This Means for Panama

The disease adds a new layer of pressure on a sector still recovering from last year’s disruption. While the presence of black sigatoka does not automatically mean the loss of a plantation, keeping it under control requires constant vigilance, removal of affected leaves and tissue, fungicide application, and adequate drainage systems.

Heavy rains complicate those tasks, and small producers may struggle more than technified plantations to maintain consistent controls, Nuques explained.

The most immediate concern may be plantains, which are destined mainly for the domestic market. Nuques warned that rains and flooding have already affected producing areas, and sigatoka now adds further pressure. “There will be problems with plantains,” he cautioned, noting that reduced availability could ultimately push consumer prices higher.

For now, there is no official figure on how many hectares of banana and plantain have been affected by black sigatoka, nor an estimate of how much production could decline. That absence of data makes it impossible to determine the economic magnitude of the problem, while producers and authorities focus their efforts on containing a known disease that finds ideal conditions in the current humidity and rainfall.

This story was originally reported by [La Prensa](https://www.prensa.com/economia/banano-y-platano-bajo-la-sombra-de-una-nueva-amenaza-la-sigatoka-negra/).