Rural Minnesota group visits Cuba, see trade opportunities

Rural Minnesota group visits Cuba, see trade opportunities
By Joe Kimball | Published Mon, Mar 22 2010 11:29 am

A Minnesota group of agriculture and rural leaders is back from a visit
to Cuba and sees lots of opportunities there for such state products as
cooking oil and beef, if the trade embargo is lifted.

The Duluth News Tribune reports that 32 delegates from the Minnesota
Agriculture and Rural Leadership Program went to Cuba to learn about its
economy, agricultural system and the impact of the U.S. embargo that
began in 1959.

Tim Alcorn, MARL's executive director, saw a need for more cooking oil,
which is rationed out to the population, and a need for beef in
restaurants frequented by foreigners. Although killing cows in Cuba is
illegal, beef is imported to serve to foreign visitors.

"In hotels, access to good beef is limited, so there would be
opportunity there," Alcorn said. "They have a taste for cheese already,
but it's expensive. And Minnesota is a good producer of cheese."

The paper notes other observations from group members:

* Small private farmers still plow their fields with oxen and
horses while the big state-owned farms use tractors, albeit old ones,
for growing tobacco, sugar cane and produce.
* Mostly older cars and trucks are seen, because people were
allowed to keep them after the revolution. New ones are expensive, in
short supply and can't be totally owned by the average citizen. Cuban
people go to great lengths to keep them running, even without access to
replacement parts and tires.
* Cubans line up for public transportation and for their monthly
rations of rice, sugar, coffee, bread and powdered milk for children.
While some can afford to shop at farmers markets, few can afford the
more expensive grocery stores where some meat is available. Store
shelves offer little variety and sparse offerings. And the rare hardware
store might offer only old, used parts.

Dave Chura, executive director of the Minnesota Logger Education
Program, was on the trip but isn't convinced the United States should
lift the embargo:

"Certainly we want to make sure we're able to provide them with products
that can help them meet basic humanitarian needs," he said. "At the same
time, we don't want to help them prop up and support the existing
government."

http://www.minnpost.com/politicalagenda/2010/03/22/16827/rural_minnesota_group_visits_cuba_see_trade_opportunities