Panamanian customers understand U.S. meals merchandise, together with pet meals, as prime quality, healthful and dependable, which has resulted in steady progress in demand, in keeping with the U.S. Division of Agriculture (USDA) International Agricultural Service. Panama is the twenty third largest marketplace for U.S. consumer-oriented merchandise, with exports totaling US$610.9 million in 2022. Since 2012, the U.S.-Panama Commerce Promotion Settlement has boosted this commerce.
Necessities for US exports to Panama
From a USDA International Agricultural Service report: In June 2014, pet meals certification necessities had been simplified following an change of letters between USTR and the Panamanian Ministries of Agriculture, Well being, and Commerce. This settlement entered into drive by means of AUPSA’s Scientific and Technical Council of Meals Security Decision No. 002 of 2015, by which it modified Decision No. 001 of 2007. This decision acknowledged the U.S. SPS’s equivalence for importing meats, poultry, dairy and different animal merchandise utilized in pet meals. It additionally contained provisions associated to certification necessities.
The modification of the decision simplified U.S. pet meals exports to Panama containing animal-origin elements. The revised certification statements on USDA APHIS export certificates that accompany U.S. shipments of pet meals containing animal-origin elements to Panama are:
1. The merchandise could also be freely offered in the US as pet meals.
2. Dry, semi-moist, and dehydrated pet meals merchandise had been subjected throughout processing to a warmth temperature designed to make sure the destruction of pathogenic brokers dangerous to animals.
3. Canned pet meals merchandise have been handled in hermetically sealed containers with an F0 of three.0 or extra.
4. The product has been hygienically dealt with and packed in clear containers product of impermeable, airtight, and robust supplies which are ample to guard the product from environmental contamination and safeguard industrial sterility obtained throughout thermal processing. MIDA’s Decision No. ADM-DSA-040-2022 of September 22, 2022, establishes the process for sanitary registration and importation of pet meals from the United States of America.
Dimension of the Panamanian pet meals market
The Panamanian pet meals market has grown steadily since 2020, and analysts with Statista forecast it to proceed rising into 2029. Panama’s pet meals market revenues are projected to attain US$126.80m in 2024 with a 5.09% compound annual progress fee from 2024-2029. The analysts forecast that pet meals market quantity will quantity to 89.94 millon kg by 2029, following quantity progress of three.4% in 2025.
