The economic, financial, and commercial blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba hinders the development of the island’s agricultural sector. Photo: Granma–
In case you are one of those who think that the Blockade is an invention of the Cuban communists to justify the problems, he informed you that, the website of the Ministry of Agriculture in Cuba (MINAG) published yesterday, February 4, that the economic, financial and commercial siege of the United States caused this sector losses amounting to 350 million 598 thousand 937 dollars. –
Our northern neighbor is precisely the most sought-after destination for agricultural production in the world, even though the farmers of that country are beneficiaries of protectionist State policies, and due to its proximity it is favorable in relation to more distant markets, but, unfortunately, Cuba cannot access and carry out transactions with companies from that country.
For the concept of income not received from exports of goods and services, the impact exceeds 181 million 458 thousand dollars, in the period from April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020, included in the latest MINAG report.
These issues force the geographical relocation of the business, it is like that you, who live in Holguín, should go to Havana to acquire anything you need, even if it exists in a closer place and at more reasonable prices because they do not include the onerous costs transportation and in the case of Cuba, customs duties and freight.
It was necessary, in the aforementioned period, to import or contract supplies, parts, pieces, seeds and various lines for investments in the industry from Europe, China and India, which made the products purchased more expensive and generated losses that exceed 39 million euros. dollars in the mentioned period.
This harsh reality, exacerbated in the last four years thanks to the “orange president”, constitutes the most transcendental obstacle for the development of the agricultural sector on the island, for the business system and agricultural cooperatives, but also for our small farmers, who guarantee 80 percent of the food production in the country.
We can add to this debt the effects related to technology, since we are deprived of access to innovations, techniques and resources for tillage, irrigation or fertilization with components, parts, pieces or North American patents.
The MINAG report highlights monetary-financial damages for 19 million 154 thousand 367 dollars due to the refusal to use the US currency in transactions of all kinds, including exchange variations with respect to the currencies that the country is forced to use and expenses banking.
Nor can Cuba export tobacco, fresh and industrialized fruits, charcoal, honey from bees and coffee, as well as other important lines of agricultural production, not only to the United States but to various nations of the world due to the extraterritorial nature of the blockade. imposed by the harassing neighbor.
Cuban agriculture has excellent biological and homeopathic products for the treatment of cancer, such as Vidatox-30 ch, which cannot be purchased by interested companies, which makes it impossible for people suffering from this disease to use it, even within the borders of the United States.
Nothing in the foregoing exempts the agricultural sector from the authentic responsibility of making the most of the land resource, of carrying out the 24 measures described in the Economic-Social Strategy, of solving the supply deficit, and of settling, once and for all, the much criticized issue of defaults to producers and achieve effective transformations in their business system.
But, really, the relaxation or total collapse of this invisible but real wall generated by the Blockade would provide an immense breath of fresh air for the tired agricultural lungs of Cuba, affected today by the pandemic, and that, like a mother, only seeks health, be calm and improve the lives of their children.
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