With almost 50 centers and other areas of agricultural development, this territory has increased its productive capacities. However, a good part of the best that agriculture generates is sold daily in a kind of informal wholesale market, whose existence is vox pópuli, and is then resold in the neighborhoods at prices that a retiree, a Social Assistance pensioner, or even a worker, cannot pay.
Therefore – and this was evidenced by the Tele Turquino Information Panel – the organization of supply to agricultural markets is an issue that urgently needs to be addressed, since the limited variety of offers in these establishments (where prices are lower) often contrast with the diversity of fruits, vegetables, vegetables and grains, which can be seen in self-employed kiosks and wheelbarrows.
According to Belkis Villa Tabares, general director of the Provincial Collection Company, the contracting exceeds 37 thousand tons of products for the year, of which 28,962 are destined for agricultural markets. TOFurthermore, the Acopio Business Group has arranged shipments of products from other provinces.
This is counted on to supply the establishments. And in this sense, the distribution policy includes that twice a week the productive forms go to the markets that have been assigned to them. In addition, the directive meant that the management model gives the administrators of various units the power to manage supplies to expand offers.
There is much to review: the correspondence between quality and prices, the protection of consumer rights, compliance with supplies with the necessary frequency and variety, and organizational issues to close the gaps that today lead to the diversion of products. And to the extent that progress is made in that direction, the strategy to improve Santiago residents’ access to food will be more effective.
The good news is that nine products have subsidized prices for medical diets.
“They are xanthosoma malanga (5.40 pesos per pound), colocasia malanga (3.30 pesos per pound), Vianda banana (3.70 pesos per pound), donkey banana (2.00 pesos per pound), fruit banana (2.50 pesos per pound), sweet potato ( 2.00 pesos per pound), pumpkin (2.80 pesos per pound), guava (6.00 pesos per pound) and bomb fruit (4.00 pesos per pound),” he explained.
Regarding the sale of potatoes, the general director of Acopio pointed out that the Business Group allocated about 1,400 tons for this province and that work is being done to close distribution in the capital, while shipments begin to Palma and Contramaestre.
“The consumer is not obliged to buy the potato that is affected. We have received two trains (loaded with the tuber) and a third shipment will arrive that will be used to complete the marketing,” he noted.
In he groove
Eliover Zapata Hidalgo, delegate of Agriculture in the province, maintains that “if prices are high today it is because there is not enough agricultural production.” Hence, the planting of some 62,858 hectares is expected in the current spring campaign, whose progress he described as favorable when appearing at the Information Panel.
“We run a great risk without irrigating the plantations,” he warned, since only 12% of the areas have irrigation and of this portion “only 6% has use value.”
The province seeks to guarantee the cultivation of bananas at a rate of one caballeria per 1,000 inhabitants, which is more than met; This is not the case with cassava, whose planting shows delays associated with the drought, although the manager assured that the areas are ready for planting when the rains begin.
As for the sweet potato, its production is also assured on more than 3,000 hectares, as well as yams and taro, lines in which – according to Zapata Hidalgo – there will be no problems in achieving what was planned.
The strength for these purposes is that the province has achieved 49 productive poles in which short-cycle crops (sweet potato, pumpkin, corn) and extra-dense bananas will be prioritized due to their high yield.
Of the prices
Regardless of the progress in the furrow, the coordination of prices and control to contain the so-called “abusive and speculative” is a crucial element to guarantee that more people can access what is produced and sold in Santiago de Cuba.
In that sense, Ariadna Palacios Frómeta, deputy director of Finance and Prices in the province, believes that the battle is won in the negotiation of the municipal governments with the producers, and in the disclosure of the agreed prices. The latter, she believes, will increase consumer demand and popular control in compliance with agreed prices.
The application of some 1,600 fines, administrative sanctions, confiscation of merchandise, and withdrawal of licenses from those who repeatedly sell at abusive and speculative prices in clear violation of what is established, are confrontational actions to enforce the values agreed upon for the sale of foods highly demanded by the population.
Although reality shows that in the Santiago neighborhoods the application of these and other measures is far from what is needed, the effort to intensify control over prices is plausible.
And it is worth adding that the better the result will be to the extent that the purpose expressed by William Hernández Morales, coordinator of Agri-Food Objectives and Programs of the Provincial Government, is materialized, to agree on the value of some 19 products from wholesale to retail marketing, to guarantee that they are offered to the population at reasonable prices.
In search of equity in access to food, vegetables and fruits, the differentiated sale of these foodstuffs to people in vulnerable situations is evaluated. In this regard, the official explained that it is already being implemented on a trial basis and, although he did not specify the amount of the decrease, he said that it could be 10 to 15% less than the value at which they are currently sold in the markets.
It is also planned to link producers (companies, cooperatives, etc.) with nursing and maternity homes, community kitchens of the Family Care System, hospitals and other social consumption institutions to avoid intermediaries and high costs in the supply of food.
Hernández Morales stressed that taking into consideration the population’s criteria, the Saturday agricultural fairs will be strengthened in seven areas of the Hero City, as well as the supplies, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, to the agricultural markets.
In Santiago de Cuba there is a strong political and governmental will to establish mechanisms for price regulation that is based on greater attention to Agriculture – in which the province has been taking important steps in the last two years; but it necessarily involves more ordering the distribution of what is harvested.
Although the increase in crops is essential, it is urgent to eliminate deficiencies in the route that food follows from the furrow to the market counter or point of sale; Because with better organization, more demand and control, what is produced today in this province could reach more people, and at lower prices.
