GAF
Coffee and food production go hand in hand in the Cienfuegos hills (I)
The coffee recovery, Development Program through, in the Guamuhaya mountainous massif, of the Cienfuegos municipality of Cumanayagua, is proceeding at an increasing average rate of 15 percent each year. On such results and strategies he exchanges with September 5 Osniel Villa Palacio, technical and development director of the Eladio Machín Processing Company.
"It is appropriate to point out, says the manager, that the last harvest was satisfactory in several orders. We can affirm, almost with absolute certainty, that this time not a grain was lost. We organize a routing in the collection with a chronometric accuracy in the collection times, both in the area of ??San Blas and Cuatro Vientos as well as in El Nicho.
"On the other hand, more than 90 percent of this year's production was of exportable quality; high-rate coffee. We fulfilled all the orders that we had in exports and national consumption, in addition to the commitments with the Cimex, Cubaexport and Comercial Café corporations ”.
How is the Development Program going?
“Generally, every year we exceed the marks established by the Program. In 2019 we planted a total of 98 hectares, out of a plan of 65, and we replanted another 600. For the present campaign we intend to plant 65 ha more, and for this we had about 530 thousand positions, which also satisfy the 200 ha of replanting planned for the same stage.
"This program runs until 2030 and contemplates the renovation of all coffee areas, because after 25 years the plantations are considered old.
“To respond to the demands of the entire coffee revival in the Guamuhaya massif, we have a certified seed bank on the Mayarí farm. In addition to the high-quality seed that is achieved there with advanced technology, the attached nursery has the capacity to deliver 60,000 postures a year. ”
What experience does growing coffee on the plain bring?
"This is an alternative and country policy, in order to achieve import substitution. In our particular case, the promotion of the agricultural modality is concentrated in the El Mango area, near the Paso Bonito-Cruces magisterial canal, in the Cumanayagüense territory itself.
"The immediate projection is to plant 10 caballerias (about 132 hectares), for which we already have 19 hectares in development and we must reach 40 ha this year, with the robust variety, both for its resistance and for its productivity.
“It is worth noting that for now these plantations are interspersed with plantain, an intention that fulfills the dual purpose of regulating shade and obtaining food for the people. Later, it should be populated with permanent shade regulating trees, mainly the well-dressed and carob tree, two ideal forest species for this purpose ”.
