Ike Might Speed Up Private Farming In Cuba

Sep 15, 2008 4:35 pm US/Eastern
Ike Might Speed Up Private Farming In Cuba

Cuba says it will speed up plans to give private farmers and
cooperatives idle plots of government land as it rushes to produce food
after a pair of hurricanes ravaged island crops.

The Agriculture Ministry said Monday in a statement that it will begin
accepting applications for the government land beginning Wednesday. The
measure was announced in July, but the start date was not given at the time.

The government was already trying to revive flagging food production
when Hurricanes Ike and Gustav struck this month.

Since taking over from his brother Fidel, Raul Castro has opened more
unused state land to private farmers, legalized cell phones for ordinary
citizens and allowed some workers to seek legal title to their homes.

http://cbs4.com/local/Cuba.Aid.Hurricane.2.818191.html