GAF
Where is Cuba's coffee production going?
By Roberto Salomón *
Havana (Prensa Latina) Increasing the production of coffee annually to reach 30 thousand tons in 2030, constitutes one of the main challenges in the branch, committed to the recovery of this traditional export item from Cuba.
With a view to achieving this objective, important activities and investments have been carried out for years to recover coffee growing, affected by climatic adversities such as intense droughts and hurricanes.
Coffee production in Cuba experiences a visible recovery from measures adopted in recent years, including the use of clones that contribute to higher yields.
According to the director of Coffee, Cocoa and Coco of the Agroforestry Group of the Ministry of Agriculture (GAF), Elexis Legrá, the use of cuttings and technified nurseries in obtaining positions is giving very positive results.
The manager assured Prensa Latina that the use of biotechnology and other modern techniques, as well as better varieties and seeds and new forms of stimulation, also contributed to the production in 2019 increasing by 1,400 tons compared to the previous year.
However, in addition to being an exporter, the country is an importer of this grain, which is why an ambitious development plan has been proposed until 2030 that allows it to meet the needs of national consumption.
The main productions of the Group have for export among its main destinations, such as coffee, cocoa, coconut, beekeeping -the largest source of income of the GAF at present-, charcoal, pine resin and in perspective those derived from henequen.
