Massive Food Losses in Cuba

Massive Food Losses in Cuba
BY Freddy PEez Cabrera

Cuban Minister of Domestic Trade Marino Murillo said that preliminary
figures show more than 4,000 tons of foodstuffs were damaged by
Hurricane Ike as it ripped off roofs of warehouses during its trajectory
last week over almost the entire country.

Speaking from the province of Santa Clara the minister said that, just
10 days before Ike, 1,300 tons of food was lost in the province of Pinar
del Rio and the Isla de la Juventud with the passing of Hurricane Gustav.

He commended the efforts of warehouse workers who managed to salvage
close to 20,000 tons of basic food products in warehouses that were
partially damaged by the passing of the hurricane. He also made a
special acknowledgement of the workers in the city of Villa Clara who
did not report any losses despite the fact that some 180 neighborhood
food storage and distribution centers lost parts or all of their roofs.

Murillo reported that the entire country suffered damage to the
warehouses that supply all Cubans with basic foodstuffs such as rice,
beans, sugar and salt, but noted that the provinces of Holguin, Las
Tunas and Camaguey were the most seriously affected.

The minister said that the process has begun to repair food storage
facilities and distribution centers as well as stores, restaurants and
cafeterias in as short a time as possible.

http://www.periodico26.cu/english/news_cuba/september2008/food-hurricanes091508.html