Being a farmer in Panama

I am not a farmer, however to gain a tax exoneration, I am a farmer. I am now growing citrus, coffee and some vegetables on my finca. It is probable I will gain more from the tax exoneration then I will from the sales revenue, so it is worth the effort.

Last week I went to the MIDA (Ministry of Agriculture) nursery in Concepcion Bugaba. I purchased two hundred coffee plants at $0.35 each and ten Avocado trees for $1.50 each; more crops.

Coffee plants

Yesterday the MIDA inspector, a delightful woman from the Boquete office came to the farm. She inspected advised and suggested I have a MIDA coffee expert visit. She also suggested I provide some soil samples to IDIAP, they have an office adjoining MIDA in Boquete.

We returned to MIDA with samples and she prepared my paperwork for my next trip to David. So far the steps for this exoneration included.

1. Visiting MIDA in Boquete to get a list of things I needed
2. Going to the Registar Publico in David to buy copies of the records on both the corporation and the finca.
3. Going to Catastro to get paperwork from ANATI that the land in titled to the corporation
4. taking all of that, a copy of my visa and passport to MIDA in David where they provided a slip of paper to take with the pile of papers to MIDA in Boquete.
5. Scheduling and having and inspection in Boquete.
6. Having the entire pile of papers with the inspection report, signed and stamped put back into my hands to take back to MIDA in David.
7. NEXT?? When I know I will share.

My goal now besides exoneration is to increase my coffee crop over the next two years. It is almost one year from blossom to the cup and last year was a disaster. If the weather gods are kind this year might be better. The new plants will produce in 3-4 years but I many older plants that have done well in the past.

Who knows maybe I will have some Fina Ferdabella coffee to sell next year at this time.