• Submitted by: manso
• Business and Economy
• 08 / 07 / 2010

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Maisi, Guantanamo .- The 2010-2011 coffee harvest was officially launched yesterday in the country with a rally in this town, which was chaired by Orlando Lugo Fonte, president of the National Association of Small Farmers (ANAP).

The campaign it is estimated will surpass the previous by about 1,200 tons, which represents a growth of between 20% and 25%, according to information given to Granma by Ramon Frómeta, Deputy Minister of Agriculture.

The highest increases are expected in the provinces of Guantanamo, Santiago de Cuba and Holguin, in that order, where he perceives a greater recovery of the grain, after the The estimated increase can be interpreted just as an initial step towards the much desired and needed coffee recovery by the country, as a fair way to give value to a crop with roots in the Cuban mountains, and without which, in a few years, large volumes would be imported.

In summarizing the event, Lugo Fonte talked of the ongoing efforts to increase production of coffee. For this they are working on promoting nurseries, planting, renovation of old plantations and better cultural care as a whole.

The raising of the price of grain to 50 pesos per quintal for first quality has had a positive impact among the producers, as well as the addition of hundreds of new coffee planters, who have received land in usufruct under Decree Law 259.

Lugo noted, finally, that they are working to minimize the collection mobilizations, of both students and adults, and said that for that it is essential that the internal forces must assume more commitments in the field and productivity.

By. JORGE LUIS MERENCIO

Source: Granma