Cuba incorporates land into agricultural production

Cuba is working on incorporating unexploited land with the aim of increasing food production and meeting demand, an authorized source reported.

This is one of the priorities of the Ministry of Agriculture (MINAG), contemplated within the 63 measures approved by the Government in April with the participation of producers, experts and managers of the sector.

The Minister of Agriculture, Miguel Rosales, said in exclusive statements to Prensa Latina that the rescue of these unproductive lands is being carried out in the provinces of Artemisa, Mayabeque, Cienfuegos and Granma.

Said actions respond to the fulfillment of the decision to eliminate or merge agricultural cooperatives that do not have the possibility of economic and productive recovery, using the lands, whenever possible, for the strengthening of state companies.

The Minister stressed that increasing the levels of tropical crops in order to achieve 30 pounds of farm products per capita per inhabitant is also a priority of Cuban agriculture.

Rosales stated that although 110 thousand hectares were yet to be planted at the end of September, it is a possible goal given the demand of the population and the social charges.

Rosales emphsized that another important goal to obtain higher yields per area is to fully exploit the land under center pivot irrigation systems, something currently only happening in 7.2 percent of the 6.3 million hectares that make up the total agricultural area of the country.