Havana, Cuba.- Science at the service of agriculture in Cuba is one of the attractions that can be seen today at the 5th Fruit Growing Symposium, where as a perfect binomial are combined in the search for sustainability.

The meeting, hosts at the National Hotel of Cuba and until October 19, discusses the importance of this union and other issues.

The deputy director of the Victoria de Girón company, Humberto Suárez, assured that citriculture (cultivation of citrus fruit) currently applied on the island is totally different from the one used 20 years ago.

Suárez said that they traditionally participate in Fruticulture (fruit Growing forum) because it allows them to keep up with the scientific staff about the new developments in citrus at the global level, which allows them to perfect the work.

This 50-year-old company was founded by the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, and produces approximately 80 percent of the country’s citrus fruit, he commented, and now they work to recover these crops, mainly grapefruit and oranges although they also include limes and lemons, he noted.

With a production of about 70,000 tons of citrus this year also stand out in obtaining pineapple, guava, papaya and coconut.

One of the strengths of the company is that it has an industry capable of processing between 800 and 900 tons of fruits daily, whether in concentrated or simple juices, as well as other derivatives and by-products, including essential oils with a high value in the international market.

Fundamentally they export to the Caribbean and in Europe to the Netherlands and France, he explained and added, at lower levels to Canada, an attractive nation for the company because of the tariff and customs advantages it offers.

Organized by the Tropical Fruit Research Institute and the Agricultural Business Group of the Ministry of Agriculture of Cuba, about 370 delegates from countries such as Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia and Mexico participate; United States, France, United Kingdom, among others, participate in Fruticulture 2017.