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Cuba’s First Deputy Agriculture Minister Ana Teresita Gonzalez stressed the island’s agriculture sector to export goods and attract foreign investment during the opening Monday of the 24th International Agriculture Fair FIAGROP 2023.
The Cuban official said that the fair allows the promotion of businesses with foreign companies and links among producers, enterprises, and the new non-state companies emerging on the island.
Food production is strategic for the world, given its contribution to the food sovereignty and security, but Cuba faces strong challenges in this respect due to current shortage of raw materials, high prices of food, raw materials and logistics-related issues. The island has also faced the impact of hurricanes and severe drought, the deputy minister said.
The island’s foreign investment portfolio of opportunities offers 197 business projects in agriculture, ranching and the industry in different modalities, the official said and went on to acknowledge the presence in the fair of representatives of 25 foreign companies.
Following the opening ceremony, Cuba’s Agriculture Minister Ydael Perez was accompanied by Bolivia’s Minister for Rural Development and Lands, Remmy Gonzalez, during a tour of the exhibit, deployed in the Havana western territory of Rancho Boyeros.
The annual event is running till Sunday with a large exhibit of cattle, business forums, lectures and business exchange among local and foreign entrepreneurs.
