Cuba bureaucrats told not to interfere with private farms

Cuba bureaucrats told not to interfere with private farms
Zimbabwe Star
Wednesday 19th May, 2010

In a country where farmers have had to purchase supplies from the state,
the government is now hoping to help farmers boost food production by
allowing them to purchase privately.

In Cuba, there are 350,000 family farmers and members of private
cooperatives.

Farming is the largest private sector in Cuba, accounting for 70% of the
food produced while using just 41% of the land.

This year, farmers have been attending meetings throughout the country,
in an attempt to persuade the government to let them privately sell
their produce and buy supplies, apart from the regulations that have
guaranteed the state's near monopoly of the agricultural system.

Up to now, there has been a long-standing practice of the state taking
75% of farmers' production in return for fuel, pesticides and fertilizer.

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