The delegation also had talks with producers associated to the different productive forms.
The delegation also had talks with producers associated with different productive forms, such as cooperatives or micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and researchers and academics from the Agrarian University. Photo: Pastor Batista Valdés
A delegation from the National Association of U.S. Departments of Agriculture (Nasda) traveled to Cuba with the objective of identifying future business relationships, especially with new economic actors, to boost production processes.
Ted McKinney, president of Nasda, commented at a press conference yesterday at the Grand Aston Hotel in Havana, that the purpose of this trip is to strengthen ties of friendship and explore the possibilities of trade and cooperation between the two countries.
He added that, with the contacts they have, they can identify opportunities for bilateral exchange, imports, exports and trade in general.
McKinney pointed out that they have had conversations with government officials, including the President of the Republic, but also with producers associated to the different productive forms, such as cooperatives or micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and researchers and academics from the Agrarian University.
He said that they remain optimistic about the possibilities of future cooperation in the sector, and expressed his satisfaction with the decision to create these new economic actors in the country that are the MSMEs, something that can lead to greater and better business contacts between the two nations.
The President of Nasda reminded that his association does not carry out commercial operations, but expressed his intention to transfer these experiences to the U.S. private sector and the federal government, which are in charge of carrying out this type of actions.
Michael Strain, Secretary of Agriculture of the US state of Louisiana, referring to the blockade imposed by the US Government against the Caribbean Island, pointed out that these are complex issues between the two countries, and stressed that these visits, on an ongoing basis, are also a way to move the needle for the improvement of relations. "It is the way we have, it is what encourages us to continue doing it, and it is what we are going to do".
Ernesto Barón, responsible for Central and South America and the Caribbean, of the U.S. Poultry and Egg Export Council, explained that, as is well known, this branch of agriculture already has a presence in the Cuban market, and makes significant exports of low-cost, high-quality poultry meat.
However, he added, not only do they want to increase exports of their products, but also bilateral trade relations.
"In this brief visit I have been able to identify opportunities for mutual growth, specifically with new economic actors, MSMEs, as well as in the tourism sector, which can benefit from some product offerings that can be marketed in this market," he said.
McKinney explained that Nasda is an association that has been in existence for 170 years, and groups the secretaries, commissioners, directors or whoever has an equivalent position in the States of the Union.
He added that they are a non-partisan organization, so it is very gratifying to see how this association is losing political boundaries, and stressed that they are making this visit of their own free will, with the support of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
