Cuba says 5,000-plus apply for unused state land

updated 10:28 a.m. EDT, Thu September 18, 2008

Cuba says 5,000-plus apply for unused state land

* Story Highlights
* Cuba struggling to recover from hurricanes, which dealt blow to
food production
* More than 5,000 apply for lots of idle government land to grow
food, paper says
* Cuba hopes giving land to private farmers will help reduce food
imports

HAVANA, Cuba (AP) -- Cuban media says more than 5,000 people have
applied for lots of idle government land to grow much-needed food as the
island struggles to recover from hurricanes Ike and Gustav.

The Communist Party newspaper Granma says 5,515 Cubans requested farm
plots on Wednesday.

The action is part of a program to boost food production that is being
sped up after the twin hurricanes devastated Cuban farms this month.

The communist government also is under pressure to reduce food imports
expected to cost $2 billion this year.

The government hopes that letting thousands of private farmers operate
on state land will be the answer. Video Watch Cubans struggle to rebuild »
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Under the program, landless Cubans can apply for about 33 acres (13
hectares).

Existing farmers can increase their holdings to 100 acres (40 hectares)
of state land.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/09/18/cuba.land.ap/index.html?section=cnn_latest