Cuba’s sugar harvest this year has reached just over half the target set by the government in Havana. It represents another blow to the island’s crisis-ridden economy.
The Harvest for the season 2021-22 It amounted to only 474,000 tons of sugar, which is 52 percent of the target imposed by the government in Havana. Last year, the island produced about 800,000 tons of sugar, which is already the worst harvest season since 1908.
serious economic crisis
The disappointing sugar crop is due to a shortage of fertilizers, pesticides, fuel and spare parts for agricultural machinery, due to the economic sanctions imposed on Cuba. A Cuban government report stated that “this year’s crop was already strained by the prevailing drought, but was exacerbated by the tightening of the economic embargo imposed by the US government on the island.” to me the report Only 37 percent of needed pesticides are available this season as a result of the sanctions.
Sugar has always been a source of national pride for Cuba and has a crucial role in the production of the famous rum. It is also an important source of foreign exchange and employment in the island’s poor agricultural interior.
The island is also facing a serious economic crisis. The rising cost of grain and fuel caused shortages on the island, forcing citizens to queue for food, medicine, and other basic necessities.
The crisis prompted Russia to donate 20,000 tons of wheat to the island last month. It appears that acute food shortages have been averted for the time being.
Cuban state newspaper Granma He noted that despite the sharp decline, the state sugar company had enough raw sugar to continue supplying the island’s residents with their monthly rations until the end of 2022.
US sanctions
The United States recently announced that it will reconsider its policy toward Cuba. For example, Cubans in the United States will be able to send money to their families more easily and travel to the island will become more flexible. Family reunification programs will also be re-launched. The easing does not affect the economic sanctions that are still in place.
Cuba hopes to circumvent some sanctions through the use of cryptocurrencies. As of this month, the country began rolling out its own legal infrastructure, making all services that use encryption on the island legal. The number of enthusiasts is growing rapidly for some time now.
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