With more than 50,000 inhabitants and located about 18 kilometers from Santa Clara, Ranchuelo is a fundamentally agricultural territory
The Cuban President visits the factory in Ranchuelo that produces Criollos, Populares and Titanes cigars. (Photo: Presidencia Cuba/ X)
Miguel Díaz-Canel, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, arrived in Ranchuelo at dawn on Friday.
This is the fifth municipality in the country that Díaz-Canel has visited this week.
With more than 50,000 inhabitants and located about 18 kilometers from Santa Clara, this is a fundamentally agricultural territory.
Bringing science closer to the furrow
Initially, the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic exchanged views with the staff of the Sugar Cane Research Institute of Villa Clara, a center whose main priority is to bring science closer to the furrow.
Doctor of Science Irenaldo Delgado Mora, director of the Sugar Cane Research Institute in Villa Clara, explained that the traditional objective of obtaining sugar cane varieties adapted to Cuba’s pests and diseases has now been diversified.
Today it is the only institution in AZCUBA that has a biofactory, which in addition to sugarcane, produces banana vitroplants, flowers and protein plants, in conjunction with other research centers in the territory, including those of BioCubaFarma.
“With regard to the results of sugarcane varieties and other vitroplants, AZCUBA and agriculture must take greater advantage of the potential of this center,” said the President, while speaking with those leading the scientific projects.
Exchange at the “Ramiro Lavandero Cruz” Cigar Factory
After touring the facilities of the Sugar Cane Research Institute (INICA) in the Villa Clara municipality of Ranchuelo, the first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba and president of the Republic Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, arrived at the “Ramiro Lavandero Cruz” Cigar Company, belonging to the Tabacuba business group.
With 338 employees and more than a century of existence, the factory produces Criollos, Populares and Titanes cigars, its flagship brand. According to the director, María del Carmen Denis Ramírez, the company took advantage of a one-week stoppage due to a breakdown to undertake maintenance and sanitation actions, and will resume production of Populares cigarettes in the coming days.
While touring the facilities, the Cuban president learned about the progress of the production plan, at 88% at the end of May; the average income of the workers, which reaches 10,072 pesos, the stability of the workforce, the availability of raw materials, the efforts to raise quality standards and innovation, which has allowed 18 of the 20 machines to keep running , some of which date back to the early 20th century.
Likewise, the head of state urged them to recover the self-consumption farm that they tended during the special period, to contribute to feeding more than 300 families and the community.
Visiting sites of socioeconomic interest and exchanging with workers, local authorities and the general population is a priority on the agenda of the president, who visits Villa Clara for the fifth time this year.
Accompanying Díaz-Canel are the member of the Party’s Central Committee and its first secretary in Villa Clara Osnay Miguel Colina Rodríguez and the provincial governor Milaxy Yanet Sánchez Armas.
