The total value of chicken imports to Cuba from the United States during 2022 was 295 million dollars, a figure that exceeded the purchases of the previous year by 5.6%. The data, provided by the US Department of Agriculture and analyzed by the economist Pedro Monreal, contributes to refute the popular excuse of the embargo, the favorite of the Cuban government to justify its ineffectiveness.
Cuba is increasingly dependent on American chicken, for which the country spent $279.1 million in 2021. The numbers have doubled since 2020 (a 105.9% growth), during the pandemic, when the regime allocated 143.7 million for import.
Just last December, a record by disbursing 33 million dollars for the importation of 26,460 tons of chicken meat. Monreal warns on his Twitter account that what was paid in the last month of 2022 is half of what the Island allocated in January 2019, but for the same imported volume, which shows the outflow of more foreign currency and the cost of this food.
In this way, the value of a kilogram of imported chicken closed at 1.26 dollars in December, equivalent to a year-on-year increase of 44.8% compared to the 0.87 cents it cost in the same month of 2021. The price of White meat remained at relatively high levels during the second half of 2022, when it surpassed the $1/kg mark and reached its most expensive mark in October, reaching $1.29 on average.
“The inability to produce chicken is the elephant in the room of national agricultural policy,” said the economist in relation to the low levels of poultry production in Cuba
“The inability to produce chicken is the elephant in the room of national agricultural policy,” said the economist in relation to the low levels of poultry production in Cuba, a food that in recent years has become essential on the family table Cubans due to the disappearance in the market of other sources of protein and the high prices of pork.
Far from the official discourse, which ensures that Cuba does not depend on the United States, the data confirms another reality. According to him US-Cuba Economic and Trade Councilpurchases of agricultural inputs and food products from the North American country reached a historic figure of 328.5 million at the end of 2022, which represents an increase of 7.7% from the 304.7 million reported in 2021.
Imports last December reached 39.3 million dollars, 28.7% higher than the balance reported in the same month of 2021, for a little more than 28 million dollars, or 178% more from 14.1 million. December 2020.
Purchases in December included cigarettes, cornmeal, caramel corn chips, peas, frozen chicken, as well as beef and pork. In addition there were shipments of beans, coffee, beer, non-alcoholic beverages, as well as soap, shampoo, detergent, and beauty products.
The Council reported that only imports of sanitary products closed at more than 9.22 million dollars, the highest figure since 2013, when the data was recorded for the first time since sales to Cuba were authorized in 1992.
Humanitarian donations from the United States also set a record figure, reaching 30.08 million at the end of last year, 171.7% higher than the 11.07 million received in 2021.
________________________
Collaborate with our work:
The team of 14ymedio He is committed to doing serious journalism that reflects the reality of deep Cuba. Thank you for accompanying us on this long road. We invite you to continue supporting us, but this time becoming a member of our newspaper. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.
