Red Carpet in Cuba for the Russians: Land in Usufruct for 30 Years and Tax Exemptions

14ymedio, Madrid, 18 May 2023 — “They are giving us preferential treatment, the road is paved.” The words of Boris Titov, president of the Cuba-Russia Business Council, at the inauguration of the bilateral business economic forum this Wednesday at the Hotel Nacional in Havana, eloquently illustrate the state of the relationship between the two countries. … Continue reading “Red Carpet in Cuba for the Russians: Land in Usufruct for 30 Years and Tax Exemptions”

For the First Time Since 1959, Cuba Grants Land for Harvesting to a Foreign Company

Vietnam has already cooperated in rice production, but this time it will do so with a lease contract for a Vietnamese company EFE/14ymedio, Havana, 9 January 2025 — A Vietnamese company has become the first foreign entity to receive land in Cuba – initially 308 hectares (761 acres) – to plant rice on a farm … Continue reading “For the First Time Since 1959, Cuba Grants Land for Harvesting to a Foreign Company”

“With These Prices You Can’t Do Anything” Protest the Tenants of Rice Land

14ymedio, Havana, 30 November 2022 — Ten days have been enough for the pinareños [people of Pinar del Río] who requested idle land to grow rice, encouraged by the visit of Deputy Prime Minister Jorge Luis Tapia Fonseca, to be disappointed. “If I knew it was going to be like that, I wouldn’t have requested land. They gave … Continue reading ““With These Prices You Can’t Do Anything” Protest the Tenants of Rice Land”

Cuba’s State Companies of Villa Clara Have Many Idle Lands and Don’t Declare Them

14ymedio, Havana , 15 February 2022 — At this point in history, the authorities of the Ministry of Agriculture seem to discover that the large amount of idle land has something to do with the insufficiency of food production in Cuba. And yet, the delivery of these lands continues to be very slow and does … Continue reading “Cuba’s State Companies of Villa Clara Have Many Idle Lands and Don’t Declare Them”

Cuban Government Extends Land Lease Period to 20 Years

14ymedio, Havana, 30 June 2017 — The latest Council of Ministers, chaired by Raul Castro, has extended the term of the country’s land leases under the usufruct system to 20 years, but the leases can be cancelled if the beneficiaries use illicit funds, according to an announcement today in the official press. The meeting analyzed … Continue reading “Cuban Government Extends Land Lease Period to 20 Years”

Crisis in Agriculture: Land for Those Who Work It / Dimas Castellanos

By Dimas Castellano, 9 February 2016 Property and crisis Once the Cuban Government arrived in power, imbued by an exacerbated voluntarism, it ignored the laws that govern the economy and subordinated them to ideology. From this moment on, the loss of the autonomy that is required by economic processes was converted into a factor of … Continue reading “Crisis in Agriculture: Land for Those Who Work It / Dimas Castellanos”

The Land Belongs To The State … But The Work Does Not / 14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar

Mr. Jose Ramon Machado Ventura met with a group of farmers leasing land under the concept of usufruct in the province of Artemisa, showing first his political skills, and, seeing that his exhortations and appeals were insufficient, moving straight to threats. “The land belongs to the state,” he said, referring to those who do not satisfy … Continue reading “The Land Belongs To The State … But The Work Does Not / 14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar”

Land Leases, a “Half-ownership” / 14ymedio, Juan Carlos Fernandez

14ymedio, Juan Carlos Fernandez, Pinar del Rio, 14 January 2016 – The earth and the man who works it end up resembling each other. The skin becomes rough and dark like freshly plowed earth, and the face is lined with furrows where seeds could be planted. So it is with Juan José Muñoz, who at … Continue reading “Land Leases, a “Half-ownership” / 14ymedio, Juan Carlos Fernandez”

Isla De La Juventud Experiments With “Free” Sale Of Farm Supplies And Equipment / 14ymedio, Orlando Palma

14ymedio, Orlando Palma, Havana, 5 August 2015 – For an entire year the Ministry of the Agriculture has conducted an experiment on the Isla de la Juventud (Island of Youth) with the “free” sale of inputs, specialized services, and agricultural equipment. During this time, the authorities of the sector have measured and evaluated the pros … Continue reading “Isla De La Juventud Experiments With “Free” Sale Of Farm Supplies And Equipment / 14ymedio, Orlando Palma”

Entropy of Eliecer Jimenez at Brown University / Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo

THE COPY-PASTE OF REVOLUTIOPHRENIA Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo Before Facebook, I met Eliécer Jiménez only once, in an alternative cultural debate in Camagüey, three years ago. He was somewhat shy, but resolute in his urge to be creative in cinematographic terms. No money, no contacts, no political pedigree. A dreamer in a province that looked … Continue reading “Entropy of Eliecer Jimenez at Brown University / Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo”

Stubborn Like an Islander / 14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar

14YMEDIO, Reinaldo Escobar, Havana, 8 August 2014 – In the land of San Juan y Martinez, Bernabé Pérez Gutiérrez planted his first crops and fathered fourteen children. It was during the last years of the 19th century, and the immigrant baptized his farm The Islander, in memory of the Canary Islands where he’d come from. Today, … Continue reading “Stubborn Like an Islander / 14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar”

Decree-Law 300 Will Not Make the Land Produce / Dimas Castellano #Cuba

Just a few days ago, December 9, 2012, Decree-Law 300 came into effect, authorizing the leasing of idle state lands under the concept of usufruct. The new measure repeals Decree-Law 259 of July 2008, whose ridiculous results led to its repeal by the State Council. Judging by the official criteria reported in the press, now … Continue reading “Decree-Law 300 Will Not Make the Land Produce / Dimas Castellano #Cuba”

Property Liberalization and Recovery of Idle Lands and Dilapidated Properties: A Necessary Step for Initiating a Recovery Process / Estado de Sats

By Antonio G. Rodiles, Julio Alega, Manuel Cuesta, Wilfredo Vallín Introduction The centralized and planned economy is closely linked to state ownership. For a process of economic decentralization to be successful, there must be a parallel process of decentralizing property. The Cuban government has undertaken timid reforms with the objective of restarting the economy without … Continue reading “Property Liberalization and Recovery of Idle Lands and Dilapidated Properties: A Necessary Step for Initiating a Recovery Process / Estado de Sats”

Why Doesn’t the Land Belong to Those Who Work It? / Dimas Castellanos

With the title “The Land Belongs to Those Who Work It,” the newspaper Granma published an editorial on May 17, in commemoration of “Peasant’s Day” from which I have selected three points that invite reflection. One: The Agrarian Reform was a basic need for economic liftoff. An affirmation that I share, since the concentration of … Continue reading “Why Doesn’t the Land Belong to Those Who Work It? / Dimas Castellanos”

Cuba: Acopio Will Pay Successful Tobacco Growers in Sancti Spíritus Partly in Hard Currency

The State only has 1,962 acres secured of the 5,607 that it planned to exploit for tobacco 14ymedio, Havana, 30 August 2024 — Exactly one year ago, with hands on their heads, the authorities of Sancti Spíritus wondered what to do to revive tobacco production. Whatever the methods were, they didn’t work, and this August, … Continue reading “Cuba: Acopio Will Pay Successful Tobacco Growers in Sancti Spíritus Partly in Hard Currency”