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Cuba Agriculture and Fishing Overview
Cuba Facts
Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean
Sea, consisting of the main island of Cuba, Isla de la Juventud,
and several other smaller islands.
Official language: Spanish
Currency: Cuban peso, Cuban exchangeable peso
Passport and visa: Finnish citizens are
required to have a tourist card and a passport, which must be
valid for at least 6 months upon arrival. The tourist card must
be obtained in advance and is not valid for flights coming
through the United States. The tourist card and passport will be
presented to the Cuban entry authorities. The Cuban authorities
require all those entering the country to have travel insurance
to cover the costs of medical visits and illness.
Time difference to Finland: -7 hours, summer
time is not used
Climate: Cuba’s tropical climate is pleasant
all year round, but the actual tourist season is during the dry
season of December-April, when the daytime temperature is a few
degrees below 30 ° C. The average temperature in the warmest
months is 32 C °. There are an average of 330 sunny days a
year. The southern part of Cuba is a warmer region than the
north, and the western part of the country is rainier than the
eastern part.
For an additional fee:
Cuban tourist card (ask our office for more information)
The passport must be valid for 6 months after the trip.
When leaving Cuba, an exit fee of about 25 USD / person will be
charged.
When traveling to Cuba, travel insurance is mandatory, this is
not included in the price of the trip.
Agriculture and fishing
The soil is fertile and the climate favorable
to agriculture, but the industry is hampered by a lack
of capital and difficulties in distributing the
harvests. The reforms of recent years have not led to
any significant improvement.
- CountryAAH:
Comprehensive import regulations of Cuba. Covers import prohibitions and special documentation requirements for a list of prohibited items.
Sugarcane was the most important crop for a long time
and accounted for most of Cuban exports, but the sugar
industry was hit hard by the economic crisis that
followed the collapse of Eastern Communism around 1990.
The Soviet market for Cuban sugar fell away while there
was a shortage of fuel and spare parts. The situation
was made worse by recurring droughts and devastating
hurricanes. For Cuba defense and foreign policy, please
check
themotorcyclers.
In the late 1990s, a campaign was launched to try to
revitalize the sugar industry. The least efficient sugar
mills were closed, but despite the fact that production
was concentrated to better soils, the yield did not
increase. At the same time, the world market price of
sugar was low, which led to a lack of capital and large
areas were laid down. In 2011, sugar accounted for only
6.5 percent of exports of goods, compared with 70 per
cent in 1990. In the same year, the sugar industry was
reorganized. The ministry responsible for sugar
production was abolished and the board transferred to
semi-autonomous companies with the right to sign
contracts with foreign investors. Since then, production
has increased but not in line with producers' hopes.

The better for the tobacco industry. Cuban tobacco is
of high quality and constitutes raw material for the
famous Havana cigars. With the help of capital from
French and Spanish importers, production has been
stimulated and demand in the world market has increased.
In addition to sugar and tobacco, citrus fruits have
become important export products. In addition, coffee,
cotton, corn, rice, potatoes, vegetables, peanuts and
bananas are grown.
Nationalization and reforms
After Castro's takeover of power in 1959, all major
farms were nationalized, but a large part of them were
later divided into smaller cooperatives. Family farming
was allowed in some cases but only on small lots.
Large investments in irrigation and artificial
fertilizers increased the return on state agriculture,
but in the long run they became ineffective. During the
crisis of the 1990s, several reforms were introduced to
increase agricultural production. Some of the state
farms were dissolved and the farmers instead formed
smaller cooperatives where they gained greater influence
over production. The farmers were also given the right
to sell their products in markets.
The reforms led to an increase in agricultural
production, but not enough to meet Cuban food needs.
When Raśl Castro took over as the country's leader in
2008, new reforms were initiated. Private farmers were
now given the right to use state land that was in
decline (about half of all arable land was then
estimated to be underutilized). For the first time, the
farmers also had the opportunity to choose for
themselves what they would grow. In return, some of the
harvest would go back to the state.
The idea of the reforms was to stimulate food
production. However, the land that the farmers had to
take over was overgrown and difficult to cultivate after
lying unused for years. Lack of seed and investment
funds contributed to the problems, and when the crops
were to be distributed, bottlenecks appeared in the
supply chain.
Since 2015, farmers have been offered new
opportunities to take out loans, but production has
remained uneven. Cuba remains dependent on a large food
import to meet the country's needs.
Forestry and fishing
The investment in sugarcane cultivation meant that
large parts of the forest in Cuba were cleared.
Nowadays, projects are under way to replant forest and
thus counteract the tendency to soil degradation. A
little over a quarter of Cuba is covered by forests
today. Forestry is small-scale. In the forests, finer
woods such as cedar and mahogany grow, but most of the
woods that are felled are simpler woods used as fuel.
Fishing takes place at sea. There are also fish
farms. Excessive fishing has led to fishing in some
areas. The fishing industry produces both for domestic
consumption and for export. Especially seafood is in
demand abroad. Even in the country, seafood is an
important source of protein. (As a tourist, for example,
it's easier to get a lobster than a piece of beef.)
FACTS - AGRICULTURE
Agriculture's share of GDP
3.8 percent (2017)
Percentage of land used for agriculture
59.9 percent (2016)
2011
December
Amnesty for Pope's visit
Nearly 3,000 prisoners are released in an amnesty for the Pope's visit to
Cuba in the coming years. Among those released are people convicted of political
crimes.
Banking reform facilitates small business owners
A bank reform is being implemented that will allow the Cubans to open bank
accounts and take out bank loans. This makes it easier for small business owners
to get together start-up capital. In the past, they have had to rely on money
that relatives abroad sent home.
November
New law gives Cubans the right to buy and sell housing
The new Property Act is adopted, which is described by political analysts in
the West as the biggest step to date towards a market economy. For the first
time in over fifty years, Cubans now have the right to buy and sell their homes,
and thus - at least in theory - can choose for themselves where to live and when
to move. The change is welcomed by many Cubans but also creates some concern as
the lack of housing has caused many Cubans to share homes with relatives or even
another family. In many cases, ownership only applies to a few of those who live
in the home and thus the others risk being left without a home if the home is
sold. However, the person or persons who own the property may not sell the
property without permission from other adults who have lived there for more than
five years.
July
Demands on democracy
Former political prisoners and other Cuban dissidents come up with a proposal
on how a transition to democracy could be implemented. Over 40 people have
signed the document, which has been called the People's Way. It requires a broad
national dialogue that leads to free elections and a new constitution. A
national commission is proposed with participants from government, opposition
and civil society. Requirements are placed on freedom of the press, opinion and
association and the right for Cubans to travel freely. The government's gradual
liberalization of the economy must be accompanied by political reforms, the
signatories explain.
June
Agreement with China
China's Vice President Xi Jinping visits Havana. Another number of agreements
are signed that provide Cuba with Chinese technology and Chinese capital. In
return, China gets involved in Cuba's energy sector.
April
The Communist Party holds congress
The Communist Party holds its first congress in fourteen years. At the
congress, over 300 reforms are adopted. The congress decides, among other
things, to impose a time limit for political office over two terms of office.
This means that Raśl Castro must retire by 2018. Despite the talk of
rejuvenation, members choose to appoint Raśl Castro, 79, as a new party chairman
after Fidel formally resigns at the congress.
At the congress, President Castro reaffirms plans to abolish the rationing book,
which he calls "an unbearable burden on the economy" that keeps people from
working. Congress further states that Cubans should be given the right to sell
their homes. Previously, it would only have been possible to exchange housing
among themselves. The congress also gives the government the task of studying
the possibilities of letting the Cubans go abroad as tourists. At present,
anyone who wants to go abroad must apply for a permit, which is a very lengthy,
complicated and expensive process. Moreover, for the common man, the prospect of
getting such an application is granted very little.
March
The American is sentenced to prison
The American Alan Gross who was arrested in December 2009 is sentenced to 15
years in prison.
Released prisoners are released
The last of the 52 released prisoners (see July 2012) are
released without any requirement to leave the country.
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