MIAMI, United States. — The Cuban Sugar Business Group (Azcuba) reported today the production of more than 550,000 boxes of rum as a result of the current harvest.
The figure was revealed to the state agency Latin Press by Dionis Pérez, Director of Information Technology and Communications at Azcuba. The official pointed out that the rum produced during the current campaign is the result of the manufacture of molasses intended for the production of spirits and rums on the island.
Pérez indicated that the manufacture of these products takes advantage of the sugar cane harvested in the complex conditions during the current harvest.
The manager added that with the income obtained from the sales of this derivative, the salary of industrial workers is guaranteed and the debts contracted with the cooperatives of the sector are also faced.
Regarding the progress of the 2022-2023 harvest, Dionis Pérez stated that it is advancing in the midst of the difficulties it faces due to the insufficient availability of financial resources to purchase fuel and other necessary inputs.
The official himself acknowledged that, so far, only 58 percent of the sugar provided for in the technical-economic plan has been reached, although —he said— the raw material is available to comply with the plan.
In February of this year, authorities of the sugar sector in Cuba admitted a deficit of 95,000 tons of sugar in the current campaign.
Difficulties in meeting production —expected to be more than 400,000 tons of sugar— were due to “financial difficulties” and a shortage of personnel to undertake the necessary tasks in that industry.
Another of the reasons for the shortfall in production would have been the fires in sugar cane fields and theft of sugar.
