Cuban company sows greatest amount of rice in years
Campaign News | Tuesday, 5 August 2008
The Ruta Invasora agro-industrial rice complex, located in central Cuban province of Camaguey, has sowed the greatest amount of rice in years, with almost 15,400 acres planted since November.
The company, which operates under the Ministry of Agriculture, is recovering lands for the crop that is currently exploited at only half of its potential.
Company executive Lazaro del Risco told ACN that the planting is still 600 acres less than planned due problems with the irrigation system.
Output in this area is about 1.6 tons per acre, a positive result considering the soil, climate and work required. This year the firm should produce 8,000 ready-to-consume tons of rice, plus another 7,000 from non-specialized growers.
Ruta Invasora has announced its plan to sow close to 20,000 acres during the upcoming 2008-2009 season. Cuba is making efforts to provide for a substantial share of the national consumption of the grain, given the price of rice on the world
market is now $900 per ton.
There is an agreement with Venezuela to jointly develop this program, with Ruta Invasora already having received some combine harvesters and
expecting more resources over the next several months.
