USDBC FOLLOWING CUBA’S FOOD IMPORT NEEDS DURING COVID-19 

May 26, 2020
Posted in: News
By: Ellen Levinson 
Price list in a Cuban government store where the libreta is used. Black beans (frijoles) are 1.28 Cuban Pesos/pound, equivalent to US$0.05.
Over the past month, USDBC together with the other members of the US Agricultural Coalition for Cuba, discussed the dire economic and food security conditions there during the pandemic with an interest in providing help. Members of the agricultural coalition discussed whether the US agricultural community thought the time was ripe for reinvigorating efforts to amend the law to allow exports to Cuba on credit terms or to find a way to provide food assistance donations.
For now, the group has decided to wait until after the US elections as the issue is unlikely to get the attention it needs at this time. Cuba’s dry bean import needs in 2020 are expected to increase, but lack of hard currency, continued US sanctions and economic decline exacerbated by COVID-19 will make it difficult to meet those needs. Imports have varied between 11,000 MT and 49,000 MT over the past five years depending on domestic production, global market prices and the ability to import beans with long-term (12 months) credit.
The Cuban government estimated 136,500 MT dry bean production in 2019 compared to 161,500 MT in 2018, 132,170 MT in 2017, and 136,570 MT in 2016. In 2020, overall agricultural production is expected to be lower than 2019 since there was less fuel, pesticides and fertilizers
Cuban Dry Bean Field Circa September 2019