Cuban Farmers Kick off Soybean Cultivation Program

 Pinar del Rio, Feb 7 (ACN) For the first time, farmers in western Pinar del Rio province have started a massive cultivation of soybean as part of a program aimed at developing the crop in the territory.

In a first stage, soybean will be planted in 100 hectares of land in the municipalities of Consolacion del Sur and Los Palacios, Agriculture official in the territory Ortelio Rodriguez told the Cuban News Agency.

But the goal is using 50 percent of soybean produced here as seeds to plant 1000 hectares in the future to meet animal feed needs and produce cooking oil, said Rodriguez.

Some local farmers had previously taken the first steps in soybean cultivation, but in a scattered manner due to the lack of seeds. However, at present some 20 hectares of land have been planted with the seed produced in the central province of Sancti Spiritus, Rodriguez noted.

Amaury Villanzon championed the soybean cultivation in the province due to his experience in developing beans, so he received technical information to develop the crop.

I like to take chances so I joined the program because soybean cultivation is important for the country’s economy and we will get benefits out of it, the farmer said.

A source of vegetable protein, soybeans constitute an important substitute for current imports while it can favor pork production in the western Cuban territory.