Joint Cuban-US Initiative to Improve Local Rice Production

Havana, Dec 11 (ACN) The Louisiana State University Agricultural Center and Cuba’s Grains Research Institute signed a memo of understanding Wednesday in Havana aimed at increasing cooperation to improve local rice production.

The MOU was signed at a Cuban cooperative in the presence of some 30 US farmers, senators, business people and researchers, who have been visiting here since Monday.

The initiative aims at increasing rice production on the island based on the scientific and technical experience of the Louisiana institution, said Mike Strain, State Agriculture Commissioner and Matt Lee, Louisiana State University dean.

Lee underscored their willingness to share the best experiences in order to contribute to the local rice production, so future visits by experts from the two sides are to take place, along the development of new seed varieties and joint research, he said.

This is a further step forwards on the long road we expect to walk together said Commissioner Strain.

Meanwhile, Cuban deputy Agriculture minister Maury Echevarría appreciated the visit here by the US delegation amidst the strengthened US economic, commercial and financial blockade against Cuba.

Echevarria recalled that this is the fourth memo of its kind signed between the two nations over the past years. A first MOU covered general issues, which was followed by others on the validation of planting potato seeds from the US here, a project currently underway.