The Cuban Small Farmers’ Association underlined that food security was a strategic priority for the country as it relies on vast amounts of imports, at a congress which ended in Havana on May 17.
The meeting was attended by almost 1,000 representatives of 362,400 farmers across the country, who discussed measures to boost the production of foods and foodstuffs to reduce the amount the country imports, which makes up 80 percent of the domestic demand and costs the State 2 billion USD annually.
They pointed out that the country needs to expand its dairy industry and increase the number of pig farms as well as the acreage of rice and assorted beans to satisfy domestic consumption.
The association’s President Orlando Lugo Fonte, acknowledged that the production of citrus fruits, cacao, coffee and sugar cane had all dropped despite the Government’s efforts in agricultural extension.
However, rice production in 2009 grew to over 263,740 tonnes or one-third of the country’s annual domestic consumption, he added.
After taking over power in February, 2008, Cuban President Raul Castro issued a number of agricultural measures, such as giving farmers land to reclaim and raising the wholesale price of farm produce./.
The meeting was attended by almost 1,000 representatives of 362,400 farmers across the country, who discussed measures to boost the production of foods and foodstuffs to reduce the amount the country imports, which makes up 80 percent of the domestic demand and costs the State 2 billion USD annually.
They pointed out that the country needs to expand its dairy industry and increase the number of pig farms as well as the acreage of rice and assorted beans to satisfy domestic consumption.
The association’s President Orlando Lugo Fonte, acknowledged that the production of citrus fruits, cacao, coffee and sugar cane had all dropped despite the Government’s efforts in agricultural extension.
However, rice production in 2009 grew to over 263,740 tonnes or one-third of the country’s annual domestic consumption, he added.
After taking over power in February, 2008, Cuban President Raul Castro issued a number of agricultural measures, such as giving farmers land to reclaim and raising the wholesale price of farm produce./.
