HAVANA, Cuba. – The President of the Councils of State and Ministers, Miguel Diaz-Canel, chaired the check-in meetings of essential programs. First Vice-President Salvador Valdes Mesa, the second Secretary of the Central Party Committee, Jose Ramon Machado Ventura, and Commander of the Revolution Ramiro Valdes and Vice-President of the Council of Ministers Ulises Rosales were also present.

During the meeting, the Minister of Agriculture, Gustavo Rodriguez Rollero, valued the development programs undertaken by this Ministry, including rice, grains, tobacco, beekeeping, fruit and citrus, and livestock.

In this sense, the priority of improving agricultural performance was noted, hence one of the main lines of work is to transform the irrigation situation into land with use value, especially with national invoice systems.

Difficulties and Advances

During the check-up meeting, it was agreed that one of the most difficult programs is coffee and cocoa, that progresses slowly.

The Youth Labor Army, which has proved its value in these tasks, will continue working with those products.

They commented on the favorable results of beekeeping with a historical record of 10 thousand tons of honey, with aspirations to reach up to 15 thousand in the coming years.

As for citrus and fruit trees, some productions have been recovering but the demand is not yet met.

The Cuban President highlighted the work done by Agribusiness Ceballos Company of Ciego de Ávila, where they manage to close the production cycle from field to industry. He also advocated the recovery of citrus in the Special Municipality of Island of Youth, with a wide tradition in these tasks.

It Is Urgent to Protect Food Prices

In the meeting it was pointed out with regard to the program of meats and vegetables that they work in the consolidation of the productive poles and in the implementation of municipal self-sufficiency.

They also stressed the importance of urban and suburban agriculture for this purpose. Meanwhile, the system of harvesting and selected fruits is strengthened and recovered at the level of state agricultural markets.

In this regard, Diaz-Canel referred to the rise in agricultural product prices and pointed out that a measure should be achieved to control that situation effectively.

On the other hand, they mentioned the goals envisaged within the livestock and poultry programs; and Maria del Carmen Concepcion, Minister of the Food Industry, updated on the positive impact of investment programs in that sector.

Energy program and quality of life

The check-up meeting also included the National Energy Program, qualified by the first Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, Raul Castro Ruz, as the most important for the country’s sustainability.

According to the Minister of Energy and Mines, Alfredo Lopez, they are currently working on the execution of the first three bioelectric plants in sugar mills, two new wind farms, 32 solar photovoltaic parks, and two small hydroelectric plants, which as a whole will provide clean energy to the national electrical system.

In agriculture, more than one thousand solar pumping systems were installed, mainly for the livestock sector.

On these issues, Diaz-Canel indicated assessing the possibility of accelerating the supply of efficient equipment for households, which will affect the quality of life and the saving of electricity.