The micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) private companies have consolidated themselves as importers for the state food industry in Cuba.
According to Alberto López Díaz, Cuban head of the sector, his ministry “gives priority to linking with all economic actors in the country” and, in the specific case of private MSMEs, there are currently more than 4 thousand contracts concluded with state establishments.
Thanks to this, in 2025 the State produced more than 68 thousand tons of food “from imported raw materials” by these MSMEs, the minister assured Granma.
López Díaz explained that in this way “it was possible to achieve more than one million hectoliters of soft drinks, beers and other beverages.
In addition, he referred to relations between the state and the private sector in the agricultural sector, particularly in cases such as the supply of tomatoes and other vegetables for canned food processing industries, and also to “the still incipient links with private fishermen.”
In these cases the report of Granma does not offer statistics. Nor does it do so about the general results for 2025, in which – according to the head of the Food Industry – “there is growth compared to the previous year, although it is still far from what is required.”
MSMEs trust in themselves but not in the national economy by 2026
Take advantage of opportunities
According to López Díaz, not all state entities in the food sector “take advantage of the opportunities” to link up with private MSMEs and the rest of the economic actors.
In the minister’s opinion, the only impediment to carrying out chains of this type “would be the breach of legality.”
“You just have to do it well, as evidenced by the (chains) that are underway,” considered the official, who gave as an example the links with private companies maintained by the Provincial Food Production Company of Holguín, in the east of the country.
According to official data, between January and June 2025 Private sector imports amounted to $1,195 million. The above represented a growth of 34% compared to the first half of the previous year, against the grain of the increase in state restrictions and inspections.
Of those millions, 836 were executed by MSMEs, which represents 70% of the total, He then highlighted in his networks Oniel Díaz, company leader Boomdedicated corporate services.
Already by December, the figure of imports from the private sector exceeded 2 billion dollars and for the current year the island’s authorities plan That figure must grow to 2.6 billion.
