---
title: "Sugarcane Honey Producers Urge Seat in Panama’s Ethanol Debate"
date: 2026-04-14
author: ""
url: https://panamadaily.news/panama-ethanol-law-sugarcane-producers/
categories:
  - "Economy"
  - "News"
tags:
  - "agriculture"
  - "biofuels"
  - "Los Santos"
  - "Panama ethanol"
  - "rural jobs"
  - "sugarcane honey"
---

# Sugarcane Honey Producers Urge Seat in Panama’s Ethanol Debate

## What Happened

Independent sugarcane honey producers in Los Santos are asking lawmakers to include them in Panama’s debate over an ethanol production law. Eliécer Castro, who represents producers in the sector, said the industry wants a place at the table as the country considers how ethanol could be integrated into fuel policy.

Castro said the goal is not only to support biofuel production, but also to recognize the role small producers already play in rural economies. He argued that the discussion should include independent farming groups that could participate in new business models tied to ethanol.

## Why Producers Want In

Castro said Herrera and Los Santos together have more than 3,145 small farms dedicated to sugarcane honey production. He stressed that the crop is already part of a broader agricultural cycle: some of the output is used for domestic consumption as a sweetener, while the rest helps supplement livestock feed during the dry season.

He also pointed to byproducts such as filter cake, bagasse, and sugarcane tops, saying they are used to feed cattle. Animal manure then returns to the fields as organic fertilizer, which he described as part of a sustainable production loop.

## Economic Pressures in the Countryside

Castro said producers are facing difficult market conditions and weak access to credit. He argued that many agricultural products suffer when harvest seasons lead to oversupply and falling prices, leaving farmers without stable buyers.

He said sugarcane honey could offer a different path because it can be produced year-round, unlike some crops that require a new planting cycle every season. He also said the crop can remain productive for up to 10 years if properly cared for, which reduces annual investment pressure on farmers.

## How Ethanol Could Change the Sector

Castro said the ethanol initiative could create direct and indirect jobs and help diversify farm income. He noted that the proposal would involve blending ethanol into 91- and 95-octane gasoline and argued that this could create room for independent producers, not just sugar mills.

He said the wider agriculture sector needs more options to remain profitable, especially as many farms struggle to stay afloat. In his view, better market access and stronger incentives could help producers modernize, expand production, and keep land in use.

## Broader Rural Concerns

Beyond market issues, Castro said the countryside is losing young people. He argued that agriculture is not attractive enough for younger generations and said many are leaving rural areas for Panama City, where some end up disconnected from farming and exposed to crime.

He said an ethanol framework could help strengthen family businesses, encourage young people to stay in agriculture, and support a more sustainable rural economy. Castro also said producers want to discuss incentives with the government, including support for diversification across milk, corn, rice, livestock, and breeding.

For Castro and the producers he represents, the ethanol debate is about more than fuel. It is also about whether Panama’s agricultural policy will give small rural businesses a place in the country’s next phase of economic development.