The indigenous people of the Island gave different names to the mysterious leaves that they rolled and lit in, commonly used during their ceremonies to get in touch with the spirits.
The novelty would soon reach the so-called "Old World" and from there it would continue to spread, making Cuban tobacco an increasingly desirable product.
So much so that despite the economic war that the country has been subjected to for decades by the United States, the demand for this product has been sustained.
The famous anecdote of U.S. president John F. Kennedy, shortly before imposing the economic, commercial and financial blockade against the island in February 1962, speaks of its incomparable quality.
According to his own press secretary, the day before signing the decree that made it illegal for Cuban products to enter U.S. territory, the president called him into his office to order the purchase of a thousand cigars of his favorite brand, and only after making sure that the mission was accomplished, he signed the document.
D.Sc. Nelson Rodríguez López, director of the San Juan y Martínez Tobacco Experimental Station, explained to Granma International a few years ago that the exclusivity of this crop is due to the combination of four fundamental factors: the climate, the soil, the experience of the farmers and the varieties that are planted.
If someone were to take our seeds to another place, they would not get the same result, the renowned scientist warned at the time. "Under normal conditions, there is no tobacco anywhere that surpasses that of Cuba."
With this advantage, thousands of men and women go to work year after year in plantations in all regions of the country.
However, the greatest weight falls on Pinar del Río, a territory where almost 70% of the total production is obtained and most of the raw material used for exports.
In figures, this means more than 350 million dollars for the Cuban economy. Hence the rigor with which the tobacco farmers from Vueltabajo carry out an activity that distinguishes them worldwide.
Also in the Pinar del Río area, in the far west of the country, other valuable goods are produced for export.
Some of them are traditional, such as charcoal and honey, others are more recent, such as pine resin and hot peppers, and others are found not on land but in the sea.
This is the case of lobster, whose quality, regularly certified by European Union inspectors, ratifies La Coloma as the leading fishing company in the country and one of the largest in Latin America.
In 2023, the company contributed 22 million dollars to the Cuban economy, and a similar figure is expected for 2024.
For Cuba
With a century-old tradition based on sugar production, Villa Clara registers a 10.8% increase in its production for export in 2024 compared to the previous year.
A wide and varied portfolio distinguishes this important territory in the center of the country, which offers 115 products and 32 services, from organic sugar to liquid chlorine.
Considered one of the most industrialized provinces in Cuba, it is also an important scientific pole, with the “Marta Abreu” Central University as its center.
In fact, the territory is also advancing in the positioning of professional services of its university in different parts of the world, while products obtained in centers attached to the institution, such as vitrofural, from the Center for Bioactive Chemicals (CBQ) and vitroplants, from the Institute of Plant Biotechnology (IBP), are already established in the market.
As a result of the work developed by the Revolution, led by Fidel, who from the first years after the triumph warned that the future of the nation should be that of men and women of science, throughout the country, along with the typical productions of a tropical and agricultural territory, today services related to its rich and valuable human capital stand out.
In Santiago de Cuba, for example, in addition to the 394 tons of fruit juices, pulps and jams sent abroad by the Tropical Contramaestre Mixed Enterprise, as well as rums, wood, honey, coffee and cocoa, there is a wide range of products from the East Pharmaceutical Laboratory, and even in those areas that already existed, work is being done to add value based on science.
An example of this is the BioCubaCafé joint venture, located in the Tercer Frente municipality of Santiago, which guarantees the authenticity of an organic product (the first coffee with this condition in the country), giving much more value to the good, with more than 90 follow-ups of technical-productive, economic and social results.
However, specialists agree that in many sectors more could be done in terms of exports.
Therefore, in the face of a vital issue for the economy, it is necessary that, in addition to adding new products to the list of exportable resources of the country, the formulas to maintain and even add value to those already consolidated must be ensured.
This is an essential issue that requires knowledge, creativity and the willingness to take new initiatives and seek alternatives to the difficulties that may arise.
For Cubans, there is no other way. The President of the Republic himself, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, has warned on numerous occasions: "To build a more prosperous and sustainable country, exports are a priority”.
