GAF
Cuban Vice President points out challenges of Agriculture for 2022
Salvador Valdés Mesa, member of the Political Bureau and Vice President of the Republic, pointed out today that the Agriculture system should focus on strengthening the socialist state enterprise, increasing productive results and exploiting all possible hectares, without giving up conventional agriculture.
Speaking at the work meeting of the Ministry of the branch, corresponding to 2021, Valdés Mesa also insisted on compliance with municipal food self-sufficiency, which even though last January it was 28.2 pounds per capita, of the 30 planned, recognized that disagreements persist in the population. Also in the presence of Jorge Luis Tapia Fonseca, deputy prime minister, when presenting the balance report, Ydael Pérez Brito, head of the agency, pointed out that last year was the worst in the last decade in terms of the production of agricultural goods and services. , due to the intensified US blockade and the Covid-19 pandemic, in the midst of the monetary order, which posed challenges to the economy. Peréz Brito assured that planned volumes were not fulfilled for the 10 productions of the state order, in the agricultural, livestock, agroforestry and tobacco branches. He reported that at the end of February 2022, of the indicators that substitute imports and form exportable rubles, there have been deficiencies in the deliveries of beef, tomato, exportable twisted tobacco, rice for consumption and milk and what was planned in coffee, cocoa, honey. of bee and twisted tobacco. Another of the affected crops is cassava, which requires the exploitation of 150,000 hectares to meet demand, but currently there are only 94,000 hectares, which represent 62.6 percent. The delay abounded with the delivery of land in usufruct, leaving 295 thousand hectares, mainly in Camagüey and Las Tunas; while Urban, Suburban and Family Agriculture in 2021 reached one million 300 thousand tons of vegetables to meet the planned plan. From the business system, it was concluded that 180 companies closed with losses for an amount of nine thousand 028 million 629 thousand pesos, with the Credit and Services Cooperatives (CCS) being the most affected, with 50 percent of the total losses. A recognized advance was the approval of the Small Livestock Development Program, worth 70 million pesos, for actions such as the remodeling of 19 facilities in order to convert them into genetic centers, six multipliers and nine slaughterhouses. For the promotion of the pig branch, land destined for the production of animal feed will be delivered, both to producers and to basic business units (UEB), and the crossing of 10,000 breeders with stallions of the breed is planned with a view to obtaining offspring more resistant. Tapia Fonseca emphasized increasing efficiency indicators and how, despite the lack of some inputs, there are other organic materials and bioproducts that ensure performance. He also called for incorporating quality into the analysis, and achieving more performance in fewer areas, taking advantage of the exchange with scientific centers and organizational structures, to accompany the productive results. Among the issues discussed at the meeting were, in addition, the elimination of cases of landless cattle owners, demanding compliance with what is endorsed in the Agricultural Product Marketing Policy of not buying if you lack the financial and logistical resources , and continue with the clearing of marabou and other molasses to prepare more land. Work projections are the development of national sources of productive inputs in the absence of financing for imports, especially fertilizers, pesticides and raw materials. Other challenges are to apply science and innovation in production and management processes, seek financing through the export of agricultural goods and services, computerize processes with a view to reducing paperwork and increasing communication between grassroots producers and farmers. business and budget structures. In terms of foreign investment and international collaboration, a plan of 37 projects is estimated for 2022, which will join the existing ones with an amount to be executed of 46 million 133 thousand dollars, 35 of them financed by donations. Each of the decisions made by the government in order to promote Cuban agriculture is based on the preparation and implementation of 63 measures, whose implementation continues today as one of the ways to guarantee food sovereignty and security. (Taken from ACN)
