Dave Sherwood

HAVANA, Reuters – U.S. farmers are on a trade trip in Cuba and stated on Wednesday that they want to sell more of their farm products to Cuba. However, Cold War-era restrictions still prevent them from making new sales.

Cuba has already been suffering food shortages. They are preparing for even worse, as the prices of raw materials rise globally due to war in Ukraine.

Representatives from the U.S. agricultural sector were in Havana to discuss embargo restrictions.

In 2000, the United States opened a loophole in its embargo against Cuba to permit food sales. However, it denies Cuba credit and forces Cuba’s communist government to cash out for U.S.-grown products.

Paul Johnson (co-chairman of the U.S. embargo) said that “we’re hamstrung due to this embargo.” Agricultural Coalition for Cuba is a group of more than 100 members that comprises national and state agricultural organizations as well as corporations and producers.

“We cannot compete on an even footing against other suppliers in the world because they can provide credit…that means a lot.”

A request to comment was not received by the U.S. State Department immediately.

The sweltering heat, a severe economic crisis, and the arrival of the delegation of farmers in Cuba’s capital Havana caused hours-long queues for essential products like chicken, eggs and bread.

The international food market saw record prices in February, and they could go up by as much as 20% in the wake of the Ukrainian war.

Agency has warned that the most vulnerable countries are Cuba and other poor nations, who struggle to feed their population.

Reuters spoke to farmers at a Havana meeting and suggested that Cuba’s proximity to the United States could reduce shipping costs for Cuban products. The island country imports goods from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. This would alleviate cost concerns.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has caused wheat prices to spike, making it one of the top grain producers in the world. This raises concerns about the availability of bread in Cuba.

Doug Keesling from Kansas, who is a fifth generation farmer, stated that the U.S. does not currently export much wheat to Cuba. He was one of the Havana delegates.

Keesling stated, “If Cuba can be opened …(that), then that would allow a lot more stuff to go on the grocery shelves.”

Cuban farmers who were present spoke out to say that they too hope to have the chance to export to the United States. This is partly because they need the cash to purchase farm products such as wheat in hot Cuba.

“We don’t want them giving us anything. Abelardo Alvarez, cooperative farmer, said: “We just want to sell and buy.”

Cuba had been the 9th largest market to export U.S. agricultural products before Fidel Castro’s revolution in 1959. According to U.S. Congressional Research Service data, Cuba is now less than 50th.

In 2021, nearly 95% (or $295,000,000) of U.S. agricultural imports to Cuba were chicken products. Cuba is not a country that the United States has ever imported agricultural products.