Cuban government approves new measures to boost food production

HAVANA, Cuba, Apr 14 (ACN) Clever and appropriate: that’s how Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez described the new measures approved Tuesday to boost food production in the country following a thorough analysis of the views and concerns of experts, scientists, producers and managers of the Cuban agricultural system.

"We trust our producers; our state enterprises, which have to be strengthened; the cooperative sector; and our peasantry, all of them born and developed under and dignified by the Revolution," he said at a meeting with farmers, experts and scientists where 63 measures were approved to boost food production, 30 of them with priority and others to become effective immediately.

He called on all those involved to "implement the measures, produce and market foodstuffs, and keep meeting people’s needs so that we can also grow, advance, improve and, as always, win".

Prior to the dialogue, Deputy Prime Minister Jorge Luis Tapia Fonseca gave details of each measure, which, he assured, "were not designed on a desk" and took heed of very different criteria at all levels to make sure that their implementation really improves and stimulates the development of the productive forces. He remarked that the new steps respond to structural, organizational and production problems and other obstacles related to land use and tenure and financial issues.

Since one of the most common complaints among producers has to do with the electricity and water charges, they were reduced and set at a fixed annual charge, which involves an additional expenditure of the State Budget worth 240 to 400 million pesos in subsidies.

As to livestock prices, Tapia Fonseca announced that the price per liter of cow's milk will remain at 7.50 CUP; and 9.00 CUP if the monthly delivery plan to the industry is met or exceeded. Moreover, milk and related products, as well as beef, pork and other meats, can now be freely sold based on compliance with indicators, quality levels and safety regulations and provided the state’s quota is met and the number of animals does not decrease.

On the other hand, as an essential element within the new measures, he defined the preponderance given to the contracting process, with the purpose of guaranteeing that the contract is the instrument of relationship between the productive forms and the individual producers, in the sowing, production and sale plans. This, he said, is a strategic, fundamental issue, which requires a daily and systematic evaluation.

In general terms, the new provisions cover the prices of consumables and other agricultural products; labor hiring; marketing procedures; local development promotion; financial regulations; and taxation. All of these aspects, ultimately aimed at bringing down barriers on the way of food production, will be explained in detail on Wednesday through the TV program Mesa Redonda.

THE CALL IS NOT TO STOP

"Our farming force’s expertise and insights are quite encouraging, as they understand the significance and scope of these measures,” the President remarked in his closing words. “We are committed to keep looking for ways and solutions and building consensus as we work on the implementation of further actions.”

The Head of State recalled that these measures are in tune with Cuba’s effort to cope with the tightening of the U.S. economic, commercial and financial blockade and the COVID-19 pandemic and the basis of the Economic and Social Development Strategy, not only to resist but also to move forward, giving greater impetus to the National Economic and Social Development Plan until 2030 and arriving at the upcoming VIII Party Congress with the greatest number of guidelines fulfilled after a democratic, participatory and inclusive exercise.

“This meeting has been a very encouraging meeting, and we are going to find ways and solutions in the near future,” he assured. “We cannot solve all the problems at once, but we can take these measures after we listened to you. (…) We do not want to impose on a producer what to plant, but we have to keep in mind what we need to produce as a country. We all have to do something for the country at this time and devote ourselves to defending the Revolution."