Havana.- As if it were a great achievement, the news was disclosed that the province of Matanzas has recently received a shipment of rice that will allow consumers to obtain the two pounds corresponding to the month of December 2024, according to the official media Girón.
This supply comes in the middle of a persistent supply crisis that affects the distribution of basic products in Cuba.
National rice production has experienced a 90% drop in the last six years. Although annual consumption in the country is around 600,000 tons, local production barely covers a third, forcing the rest from countries such as Vietnam, Brazil and Uruguay. This import dependency, added to the shortage of resources such as fertilizers and fuel, has aggravated the situation.
Although the official price is set at 170 pesos per pound, in the informal market, the price of rice has climbed up to 300 pesos in some regions. In the case of Havana you can buy a pound of the grain for 350 pesos.
Rice scarcity has led many families to look for alternatives such as cornmeal, green banana and cassava to replace this basic food to survive until they sell in the wineries the rice of the basic basket. However, in the wineries you can spend months without distributing the grain.
From Santa Clara, Libertad Maya told Cubanet that in its cast they have not distributed the cereal since November. “The Cuban government believes that the people live from aircraft. This has no arrangement, ”he said distressed.
This is a scene that extends through the rest of the country. “This year they have not given rice and it has not been taken into account that my winery belongs to a prioritized cast Poque is concentrated, the largest number of vulnerable and assistance people in the province of Camagüey. I am talking about the coquitos, ”he denounced a Cuban resident in that province.
In response to the crisis, the government has prioritized investments in the tourism sector, allocating 40% of government resources to this item, despite the decrease in the number of visitors. This decision has been criticized, since many consider that resources could be used for more urgent sectors such as food production and energy.
“I wonder if people are content with two miserable rice pounds that are not enough. And I also ask the government’s direction, if it is not embarrassing to give bombs and dishes to offer two pounds of rice that are ingested with puffs. This is to make fun of a town where the famine predominates, ”Roberto Castillo wrote to Cubanet.
