The Food Industry has two great strengths, the infrastructure and the productive capacities created by the Revolution throughout the country, together with its more than 70,000 committed and experienced workers, capable of overcoming all obstacles, no matter how difficult they may be.
This was expressed by Alberto Lopez Diaz, head of the Food Industry, in response to the questions posed by the deputies, after the presentation of the report on the deputies, after being presented the report of the highest audit to the agency he directs, which took place on the second day of the Third Ordinary Session of the National Assembly of People's Power in its x Legislature.
López Díaz also acknowledged that there are shortcomings that have a negative impact on productive results.
Among these deficiencies is the non-implementation and inadequate use of the 43 measures approved to strengthen the socialist state enterprise.
In addition, there is centralization of powers on the part of our business structures, payment systems that motivate the labor force are not adequately applied or favored, and there is not enough demand to achieve first the contracting and then that what is contracted is fulfilled, fundamentally in milk and beef.
There is also a lack of exigency and control in the fulfillment of the requirements of Decree 22, of the industrial production of food and beverages.
The Minister specified that out of a potential of 4,255 industrial producers, 4,141 have submitted applications, and 1,578 provisional permits and 1,112 licenses have been granted, for a 63% implementation rate. Of 1 466 private MSMEs approved with the corporate purpose of producing food, only 507 actually produce.
He added that the above is combined with the consequences of the criminal blockade by the U.S. government, which directly affects this vital sector for the people, and has an impact on financial limitations, to which are added the difficulties in accessing nearby markets and, not infrequently, the difficulties in contracting ships to bring food into the country.
All this affects -he added- the acquisition of raw materials for production, the fulfillment of commitments and the delivery to the people of the food foreseen in the standard family food basket, which on many occasions arrive late or are missing, such as powdered milk for our children and pregnant women; social consumption and those committed to in the plan.
Because of this context, we have defined, among the priorities:
- Increase exports and achieve revenues of more than 240 million usd, and contribute more than 78 million usd to the country's central account.
- To increase sales per platform and exceed ten million usd, as well as production for chain stores, tourism and the Mariel Development Zone, and to allocate part of this income to the acquisition of raw materials to produce for our people.
To increase national production and take advantage of productive capacities based on linkages with the primary sector, fundamentally with agriculture and all economic actors in general.
- To continue advancing in the process of decentralization of powers and to grant them to grassroots administrative structures that favor the strengthening of the municipality and bring decision-making closer to the place where wealth is produced and created.
- Creation and approval of robust financial schemes that allow us to recover productive capacities, the acquisition of raw materials to increase production for the population.
- To manage to exploit the existing reserves in the fishing activity, mainly in aquaculture, which is foreseen in the Development Program until 2030.
“In the current times and in the conditions of war economy we do not need to invest in new technologies and infrastructure; with what we have we have enough capacity”, he asserted.
ON THE HIGHEST PARLIAMENTARY OVERSIGHT
Before the deputies of the Cuban Parliament, Ramón Osmani Aguilar Betancourt, president of the Agrifood Commission, presented the results of the highest audit of this body to the Ministry of Food Industry, in compliance with agreement X-60 adopted in the Second Ordinary Period of Sessions.
On the results of the implementation of the Fisheries Law and its complementary norms, he said that 232 preparation actions have been carried out, with the participation of more than 12,700 fishermen.
He pointed out that progress is being made in the implementation of the measures approved by the Executive Committee of the Council of Ministers for the flexibilization of the non-state fishing activity.
Among the measures considered is to allow the provision of boat building and repair services, by specialized entities, to the different forms of management.
There is also the authorization of the construction and registration of vessels to natural persons, as long as the requirements established for such purpose are met.
In addition, the creation of conditions will be motivated in all territories for the wholesale and retail sale of inputs (fishing gear, means of protection, among others) and the declaration of the Fishing Bases as a Fishing Port of local interest, as established in Decree-Law No. 230/2002, pending publication in the gazette, among other actions.
PRODUCTIVE PROGRAMS DEFINED IN THE SSAN LAW
Regarding the contracting of meat and milk, the report submitted refers that the contracting with 9,100 producers was not complied with.
It adds that 232,242,500 liters of milk have been contracted in 2024, which represents 84% of the potential. This milk has been negotiated with 2,833 production forms and 58 producers who established direct links with the industry.
At the end of March, of a stockpiling plan of 38,955 tons, 27,385 tons had been stockpiled, for a 70.3 % compliance rate.
Regarding the meat activity, he explained that 52,782 tons have been contracted in 2024, representing 83 % of the existing potential. Meat is contracted in 2,821 productive forms.
Aguilar Betancourt pointed out that difficulties persist in the realization of the economic contracting of dairy and meat companies with the productive forms and producers, in addition to not taking advantage of the powers granted to the companies to strengthen direct attention to producers.
The President of the Agri-Food Commission suggested, among the recommendations, the strengthening of the control actions that allow the compliance with the fishing regulations and on the industrial production of food and beverages; to accelerate the process of transfer of the local entities foreseen to the agri-food systems as part of the decentralization of faculties, and to increase the deliveries of the production of each entity to the Municipal Food Balances; and to increase the requirement in the implementation of the integral system of industrial maintenance in each of the companies, to achieve a culture of maintenance in all the facilities.
DURING THE DEBATE
The deputies referred to food safety, specifically to compliance with the standards and permits that support it. In this regard, José Angel Portal Miranda, head of Public Health, said that this is an issue that is constantly monitored by the ministry.
He added that, on occasions, the conditions in the industries force to increase the rigor of the inspections, “but in no case a license is granted if the conditions are not in place”.
In the case of temporary permits, he stated that the industry is accompanied by a hygiene and epidemiology network.
“The industry has difficulties, but in all cases the Minsap accompanies them,” he said.
In relation to the Fishing Law, Leidys María Labrador, deputy for the municipality of Puerto Padre, in Las Tunas, pointed out that more needs to be done to reach the coastal fishing villages. “there we have many humble people whose livelihood for years has been fishing, and it is not only livelihood, but culture”.
He added that these fishermen cannot only be seen as those who do not have the proper fishing gear, or from the perspective of illegality.
“Why not dream, among several of these fishermen, to create a cooperative? The vision is not only to fight, but to particularize and reach the territories,” he said.
