The Río Zaza Dairy Product Company of Sancti Spíritus has temporarily suspended the delivery of milk for medical diets, with the exception of children and pregnant women, due to low production in the midst of the drought. In its place, flavored milk will begin to be distributed, he indicated to Escambray the director of the state company, Alberto Cañizares Rodríguez.
The official assured that there is not enough milk to cover all the demand due to the low levels of production. The distribution only affects, for the moment, the city of Sancti Spíritus, while the rest of the province will receive the ration for their diets directly from the productive bases.
This crisis had already been noticed by Cañizares Rodríguez, who last February acknowledged that the supply of milk in Sancti Spíritus was “intermittent” due to delays in deliveries from farmers and the lack of ammonia, which is used for refrigeration systems. At the time, he hinted that the situation would worsen in the next two months due to dry weather.
In addition to the low production, the Island has not been able to import the powdered milk necessary to ensure the feeding program
Cuba faces a severe drought this year that has limited agricultural activities, while forest and pasture fires are fanning. In addition to the low production, the Island has not been able to import the powdered milk necessary to ensure the feeding program. As a consequence, added the director, the company cannot guarantee the distribution of 4,500 liters that it needs for five routes in the city of Spiritus.
The official said that to cover the deficit, flavored soy milk began to be processed, which Cuban families will be able to purchase at the Commerce units to which they belong, although the product will also be available for free sale at social consumption points.
In the rationing warehouses, the measures are beginning to become effective, as in “La Revoltosa” where a sign was placed indicating that as of this Tuesday, March 7, milk for children and pregnant women would begin to be sold, while flavored milk would be He will deliver the days that the medical diet touches them.
Water is decisive because, in the absence of liquid milk, the only assortments that can be produced are those derived from legumes
The decision has generated rejection among families in the province, who describe it as “madness” for people with diabetes who depend on drugs to control it. “My diabetic neighbor tells me what would she drink if that milk contains sugar, I told her to ‘drink it because if you don’t starve you will die’, it’s that simple,” wrote Elizabeth Herrera Rodríguez on social networks.
Due to the low availability of water, the production of soy yogurt for children from seven to 13 years old, the family basket and for free sale has also been interrupted. Cañizares Rodríguez recognized that water is decisive because, in the absence of liquid milk, the only assortments that can be produced are legume derivatives. This situation is being solved by taking pipes to the processing plant, he added.
According to EscambraySancti Spíritus was “the only” province in the country that “against all odds” had maintained the distribution of milk, while the rest of the country has been facing difficulties for months in the delivery of rations.
State production of cow’s milk has plummeted in Cuba with a 95.2% drop between 1989 and 2020, while the private sector showed growth of 105.9%. However, it is not enough to compensate for the collapse of national plants, so Milk production in Cuba has fallen 59.3% in the last 21 years and went from producing more than 1.12 million tons to 455,300.
In addition to the drought, the livestock sector is also affected by cattle theft by paddock gangs They have even gone so far as to assassinate the producers.
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