The cultivation of grapes in the tropics is a challenging task and with obstacles, since certain specific conditions are needed, due to the climate, the presence of diseases and pests. 

After a soil study by a Spanish company in the Panamanian dry arc, everything indicates that in Panama the cultivation of grapes is viable and in recent years small producers have ventured into this non-traditional crop. 

La Estrella de Panamá moved to the residential Villa Bella, in the district of Las Cumbres, where Augusto Lynch, a mechanical engineer by profession, received us with great enthusiasm. that thanks to his passion for agriculture, three years ago he started a grape cultivation.

Lynch opened the doors of his small agricultural project with a smile on his face and his enthusiasm was palpable as he shared his experience and vision on this exciting journey. 

He comments that it all began with an exchange of tangerine and grape seedlings. “A friend from Los Santos wanted to grow tangerines and I got them and he brought me my grape seedlings.” Starting his small production, without knowing the care of the plant and if it was going to work for him. 

The first year was a challenge for Lynch, he did not have an adequate preparation for the care of the plant, but through YouTube he was acquiring knowledge and everything he knows so far has been through that social network and some books.

About 200 bunches of grapes have been harvested in the last three years, emphasizing that it is a plant that needs a lot of care. “You have to prune and take it that is well entangled, during its first outbreaks you have to fumigate the minimum so that the insects do not affect them.”

But everything has not been easy, Lynch has faced challenges, including the fight against worms, wasps, ants and lizards. He has never faltered with the cultivation of grapes, grabbing each experience with determination and curiosity. He currently uses manila paper bags to protect fruits from insects. 

Without a doubt, his vision goes beyond the planting he has in his residence in Las Cumbres, since his passion for agriculture has led him to also have a farm in Tambo, in Penonomé, province of Coclé, where he has plans to expand his grape field, taking his love for agriculture to a new level.

Solís, National Director of Agribusiness of the Ministry of Agricultural Development (Mida), shared that after a soil study in Panama by a Spanish company, it was determined that Las Tablas, in the province of Los Santos, would be an optimal region for the development of this product. 

Solís told La Estrella de Panamá that temperature, precipitation and humidity studies were also carried out. 

The engineer pointed out that, according to the indications of the company interested in the cultivation of grapes in the country, the optimal conditions for the planting of the fruit required less than 100 millimeters of rains for five consecutive months. After the evaluation, they determined that the most suitable region for the production of grapes is the well-known dry arch, which includes the provinces of: Herrera, Los Santos and Coclé. 

To start with the cultivation, the interested company needed a safe market and the protection of the genetics of its seed.