HOLGUÍN, Cuba. – “Since Sunday there was no chicken anywhere, not in the Los Chinos market, nor in any MSME”says Luisa Mendoza, a Holguin native who has suffered the gradual deficit of one of the most consumed sources of protein in Cuba.
Locals face not only the shortage of chicken meat, but also the galloping increase in its price.
“We have been waiting for the chicken since this morning, but it hasn’t just arrived,” says Daniel Méndez, who, along with a dozen people, has been in line for five hours in front of a MSME.
Between January and August 2024, the United States sold 168,894.2 tons of chicken meat to Cuba, according to Economist Pedro Monreal reported in his X profile based on data from the US Department of Agriculture.
“The figures in value and tons are lower than those of the same period in 2023,” added Monreal.
Until recently, the supply of chicken meat exceeded demand and its price was 310 pesos per pound, but its sudden scarcity has turned it into a luxury. “Last week I bought it for 400 pesos per pound,” says Mauro Navarro.
The upward trend is corroborated by Rafaela Paredes: “I saw the 10-pound package at 4,200. “How the price of chicken has risen!” he exclaims.
The unstoppable speculation has caused the inferior quality product to reach exorbitant figures. “Last week I was at the Los Chinos market and the 10-pound package of chicken that previously cost 3,128 pesos was now selling for 5,000. And it was not thigh to thigh; It was thigh,” says Bruno César Molina.
An unexpected shortage of chicken in the markets of the city of Holguín has led the population to speculate about the causes of a greater shortage than usual. “The owners of the MSMEs have it saved as a market strategy to later sell it at a higher price,” says Holguin native Ladislao Contreras.
Others think that the cause of the chicken shortage is due to the deterioration of a large amount of merchandise due to the prolonged blackouts in September and October. “After four days of blackouts in some MSMEs, the chicken spoiled due to lack of freezing and that is why it is now in short supply,” says Emiliano Acosta.
After visiting more than 20 MSMEs on an extensive tour of the city, CubaNet He found that only one had chicken for sale. To achieve equity, the person in charge of the place rationed the sale at a rate of two 10-pound packages per person and thus prevented a single customer from monopolizing the product. “One person wanted all the chicken and paid cash, but so that everyone could have enough, I said no and decided to sell two packages per person. It is better for me to sell all the chicken to one customer and spend less work, but I want to help everyone,” said the seller who identified himself as Lázaro.
On the other hand, instead of lowering prices on slow-moving products as businesses around the world do around this time on the so-called “Black Friday,” the owners of MSMEs in Holguín take advantage of the need due to the shortage and convoy the marketing of chicken with merchandise that they have not managed to sell all year. “The 10-pound package of chicken cost 3,125 pesos, but now I had to pay 3,800 pesos because they sell it with a package of cookies,” laments Ángel Ponce.
Another aspect of the crisis has a political nuance that fuels pessimism. Many believe that when Donald Trump assumes the US presidency on January 20, economic measures against the Cuban regime will be toughened and, therefore, the sale of chicken to Cuba will be reduced. “When Trump takes control it will be worse because he will not let them continue sending chicken from the United States to Cuba,” says Saúl Gallardo.
Considering the shortage of meat products in general, the intention of Alan Nieves, another Holguín resident, is to buy as much chicken as possible for the upcoming holidays. “If you don’t buy it now and save it, you won’t eat it for Christmas or the end of the year,” he says.
However, most Holguín residents do not have refrigeration means to preserve meat during prolonged power outages and, even if they would like to buy large quantities, they refuse to do so for fear that the meat will spoil. “We are in a difficult situation, because, on the one hand, as we approach the end of the year, meat becomes more scarce and prices rise, which will be unattainable for the majority of the people; and, on the other hand, there is no guarantee that the meat can be preserved from November to December 25 and 31?” says Tomás Valdés.
Faced with this dilemma, those who cannot preserve meat decide to share the purchase. “We are going to buy the 33-pound box of chicken between three people. I would like to buy a box for my house but I can’t because I’m afraid of losing it due to a blackout,” says Jesús Vargas.
