Pork, a staple in the traditional diet and festive occasions in Santiago de Cuba, has become an unattainable luxury, with prices soaring to as much as 650 pesos per pound. This highlights the severe agro-food crisis and the ineffectiveness of the provincial government's strategies to revive pig production. According to sources reported by CiberCuba, the official newspaper Sierra Maestra has downplayed the current price, which is nearing 1,000 pesos per pound, in a report attempting to justify the crisis by blaming it on a lack of food and medicine for pigs, exacerbated by the pandemic and economic isolation.
However, deeper structural issues, such as reliance on external inputs and a lack of sustainable planning, have driven production to historic lows. As reported by the Ministry of Agriculture, only 6,000 tons of pork were produced monthly in 2020, a mere third of the 17,000 tons needed to ensure a stable supply. By 2024, the figures are even more discouraging.
Struggles with Government Promises
Despite recent promises from the government, led by the first secretary of the Communist Party in Santiago, Beatriz Johnson Urrutia, results remain insufficient. Announced measures, such as increasing liquid feed and restoring breeding centers, face hurdles like bureaucracy and lack of timely financing for producers. The provincial government has proposed strategies like reviving multiplier centers and improving basic pig stock and feed, focusing on corn, which the province is the country’s largest producer of. However, these initiatives, starting with just 1,300 breeding sows, fall short of harnessing the territory’s full potential.
Consumer Frustration and Economic Impact
“It's too soon to evaluate the results,” admitted farmer Wilfredo Danguillecurt, yet consumers can't afford to wait as prices remain unchecked while plans and strategies fail to materialize into real solutions. The outlook for residents of Santiago remains bleak, as they reminisce about times when pork was easily accessible. The talk of pig farming recovery seems more rhetoric than reality, as roasted pork and cracklings become distant memories for a population facing prohibitive prices and an unprecedented food crisis.
Earlier this year, pork prices surged past 1,000 pesos per pound, reaching levels out of reach for most Cubans. Months later, prices stayed above 1,100 pesos per pound, as observed across various agromarkets in Havana. The relentless price hikes have led pork vendors to sell whole cuts, like legs, instead of by the pound, further complicating access to this cherished food staple.