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DESCRIPTION AND BACKGROUND
 Palmitos
Palmitos Panama S.A., organized in 1996 is engaged in the cultivation and farming of hearts of palm (ěpalmitosî).
The Heart of pal, extracted from the young stem of a tropical palm tree known as ěobactris gasipaeî, native of
the Panama Forests, is of great nutritional value. Its cultivation dates as far back as the pre-Coluumbian era.
Our Company has established the largest hearts of palm farming operation in the Republic of Panama, in formerr
pasture lands encompassing an area of approximately 600 hectares, in an area declared by government to be one of
the poorest in the country.
The farm operation currently employs approximately 450 permanent employees and processing plant has a capacity
for 120 additional jobs, to be filled moslty by women. Also the recent installation of a modern, state of the
art irrigation system, has granted temporary employement to 1100 laborers.
The explotation of the palm was originally done in a rudimentary manner directly from its natural wild habitat
in the tropical rainforest, causing great damages to our enviroment, contrary to this, our farm, established in
abandoned pasture lands, is committed to the preservation of our natural habitat and the reforestation of lands
formerly usedfor animal herding. for such purpose, the company is registered with the appropiate panamenian
environmental agencies and has extablished a permanent training and education campaigns withinn the communities it
operates and with its workers to pormote the preservation and conservation of our precious natural resources.
ECOLOGICAL IMPACT AND BENEFITS
Also worth mentioning, the farming of the palm is similar to the farming of other forest species, providing perennial
wood shield and contributing to disminish the CO2 greenhouse effect that is warming our planet.
Although harvesting is done on a continous basis, all year round, cepistose growth of the palm permits automatic renovation
and the maintenance of a constant biomass volume.
Residues and remanents from the heart of palm production may also be
utilized in paper production and timber.
MARKET ANALYSIS
The heart of palm is a product consumed as a gourment specialty around the world. Europenas are major consumers of the
product, although its populatiry is rapidly increasing in the North American and Asian markets. Traditionally the product
has been perceived as an exotic sibstitue for asparagus, artichokes or bamboo shoots.
However, as consumers have become better acquianted with the product, it is now sought for its own nutritional, taste
and culinay merits.
Procesed Heart of palms
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Heart of palms Property
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