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”

Marrero Blames Private Businesses for the State Deficit and Praises Forced Sales for Violations of Capped Prices

According to the Prime Minister, private individuals evaded 50 billion* pesos, and 354 sales of ’hidden’ products had to be forced 14ymedio, Madrid, July 18, 2024 — We could not expect anything other than a long list of economic penalties from Prime Minister Manuel Marrero’s intervention this Wednesday in Parliament, in which he evaluated the … Continue reading “Marrero Blames Private Businesses for the State Deficit and Praises Forced Sales for Violations of Capped Prices”

Twenty Six Percent of the Farmers of Las Tunas Refuse To Sell Their Products to the Cuban State

Local leaders have proposed a “broad plan of visits” to persuade the farmers 14ymedio, Havana, 12 June 2024 — The authorities of Las Tunas have proposed to carry out a “wide plan of visits” to the farmers who refuse to deliver their agricultural products to the State. The contracts in the province, which should have … Continue reading “Twenty Six Percent of the Farmers of Las Tunas Refuse To Sell Their Products to the Cuban State”

Russia Says It Has the Resources To ‘Guarantee Cuba’s Food Security’

Moscow doubled its agro-industrial exports to the Island in 2023 14ymedio, Havana, 8 June 2024 — During the tour carried out by Cuban Deputy Prime Minister Ricardo Cabrisas in search of funding for the Development Plan of Cuba until 2030, at the International Economic Forum of St. Petersburg 2024 (SPIEF), it was reported that exports … Continue reading “Russia Says It Has the Resources To ‘Guarantee Cuba’s Food Security’”

Thieves and Bureaucrats Make Life Impossible for Cuban Ranchers

Faced with permanent harassment on his farm in Cárdenas, Ernesto is almost thinking of selling his animals and abandoning the country 14ymedio, Julio César Contreras, Matanzas, 5 June 2024 — Ernesto has had Spanish nationality since 2008 and in recent years he has traveled to Spain a few times, but he always returns. In Cuba, specifically in … Continue reading “Thieves and Bureaucrats Make Life Impossible for Cuban Ranchers”

With Blackouts and Little Food, the State Markets of Ciego de Ávila Open Until Midnight

Cuban officialdom does not mention several obvious problems of this approach: blackouts, lack of products and corruption in the food sector in the province. 14ymedio, Havana, May 29, 2024 — At least five state markets in the province of Ciego de Ávila will begin working until midnight every day of the week. The decision, made … Continue reading “With Blackouts and Little Food, the State Markets of Ciego de Ávila Open Until Midnight”

What Doesn’t Work in the Cuban Countryside

14ymedio, Elías Amor Bravo, economist, 18 January 2024 — Communists continue to bet on the same policies as always that have shown, again and again, their failure. What is serious is that the State press does the unspeakable by trying to justify them. This is what happened with a joint exercise of control of the … Continue reading “What Doesn’t Work in the Cuban Countryside”

Lower Taxes for Cuban Farmers Will Not Stimulate Agricultural Production

14ymedio, Havana, January 17, 2024 — The Cuban Government announced on Tuesday the reduction from 5% to 2% of the tax on the wages of private ranchers and farmers. The measure, announced on State TV’s Round Table program by the directors of the National Tax Office (ONAT), responds to a strategy to stimulate the depressed … Continue reading “Lower Taxes for Cuban Farmers Will Not Stimulate Agricultural Production”

The Cuban Government Extends the Obligation To Operate With Bank Accounts to Farmers and Artists

14ymedio, Madrid, 2 November 2023 — Food producers will be obliged to have and declare a tax bank account in Cuba through which they must carry out all operations related to their activity, a measure that also affects artists and intellectuals, communicators, usufructuaries [leasers] of state lands, owners of agricultural land and holders of livestock … Continue reading “The Cuban Government Extends the Obligation To Operate With Bank Accounts to Farmers and Artists”

Diaz-Canel Again Receives Titov To ‘Deepen’ Cuba’s Relations With Russia

EFE/14ymedio, Havana, 19 October 2023 — Kremlin business consultant Boris Titov is back in Havana, five months after his last visit. President Miguel Díaz-Canel met this Thursday with the official, who holds the position of president of the Cuba-Russia Business Council. “It’s the will of both governments to deepen our economic and commercial relations,” Díaz-Canel … Continue reading “Diaz-Canel Again Receives Titov To ‘Deepen’ Cuba’s Relations With Russia”

The Cuban Countryside Goes From Bad to Worse: Lack of Manpower and Low Productivity, the Communist Pairing

14ymedio, Elías Amor Bravo, Economist, 30 September 2023 — On a Cuban television program that usually deals with issues related to the economy, a surprising question was raised: Are we running out of workers in the field? Yes. You have heard correctly. Now it turns out that the Cuban countryside is having an employment problem, … Continue reading “The Cuban Countryside Goes From Bad to Worse: Lack of Manpower and Low Productivity, the Communist Pairing”

The Exodus From the Countryside to the City in Cuba Has a Face: Young Women of Reproductive Age

14ymedio, Havana, September 30, 2023 — Of the 994,000 Cubans registered as workers of the Ministry of Agriculture, only 60% are directly linked to production. That number – barely 596,400 farmers – is symptomatic: very few want to work in the island’s fields, marked by the lack of inputs, insecurity and crime. “Are we running … Continue reading “The Exodus From the Countryside to the City in Cuba Has a Face: Young Women of Reproductive Age”

In Addition to Deepening Energy Cooperation With Cuba, Russia Will Sell It Meat and Dairy Products

14ymedio/EFE, Moscow, 30 August 2023 — Russia and Cuba will deepen bilateral cooperation, especially in the field of energy, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported today after a meeting held between the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergey Riabkov, and the Minister of Energy and Mines of the Island, Vicente de la O Levy. According to the … Continue reading “In Addition to Deepening Energy Cooperation With Cuba, Russia Will Sell It Meat and Dairy Products”

Cuban Rice Producers Threaten to Stop Growing if the State Limits Their Own Consumption

14ymedio, Mercedes García, Sancti Spíritus, August 17, 2023 — With the lack of rain, the departure of Vietnamese technicians and, now, a new state regulation that will limit the amount assigned for producers’ consumption, the rice-growing region of La Sierpe, in Sancti Spíritus, is living through difficult times. This norm, which has not yet gone … Continue reading “Cuban Rice Producers Threaten to Stop Growing if the State Limits Their Own Consumption”

Economy and Geopolitics in the New Attempt To Relaunch Relations Between Cuba and Russia

EFE (via 14ymedio), Juan Palop, Havana, 12 June 2023 — Cuba and Russia have announced plans to strengthen their economic and trade relations, but experts doubt that they can achieve a new bilateral golden age, and they glimpse geopolitical interests in difficult times for both countries. This week the Cuban Prime Minister, Manuel Marrero, is … Continue reading “Economy and Geopolitics in the New Attempt To Relaunch Relations Between Cuba and Russia”