News and Analysis @
dairy network.com. 11/13/2000.
U.S. milk producers, along with their non-dairy farmer brethren, are pushing
for Cuba to purchase American food products now permitted under a new law that
lifted a nearly 40-year ban on the practice.
So far, however, the Cuban government has snubbed the U.S. overture,
according to a Reuters report.
Dairy farmer and American Farm Bureau Federation VP Jack Laurie headed up a
delegation to Michigan farmers to the communist island nation last week in a
reported effort to convince Cuban leaders to react more positively to
possibilities opened up by the law. The group also included Michigan congressman
Dave Camp(R) and Jim Barcia (D)
Laurie said he urged the Cubans to give U.S. food product purchases a try, a
move that would encourage American farmers to lobby congressional leaders for
improved legislation that would provide even more easing of U.S. sanctions
against Havana.
Labeling the new U.S. law a "fraud," Cuban President Fidel Castro
as well as some of the island nation’s other leaders say the measure
renders commercial sales impossible and, in reality, tightens Washington’s
sanctions.
Agreeing that the new system is far from perfect, Laurie indicated trade
between the nations still could be accomplished. U.S. farmers reportedly concede
the law contains some tough-to-navigate stipulations, such as its ban on U.S.
public and private financing for food and pharmaceutical sales to Cuba and
possible shipping dilemmas stemming from the embargo’s remaining aspects.
Cuba reportedly imports between $750 million and $1 billion worth of food
products annually.
World Policy Institute statistics indicate that the United States is in a
position to commercially export more than $400 million in food and ag products
to Cuba.
However, the financing caveats would mean the island nation probably wouldn’t
purchase more than $45 million in U.S. farm goods—primarily powdered milk,
soy and rice—during the first year of the revised arrangement, according to
John Kavulich, president of the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council.
Powdered milk is likely to be among the top items Cuba would purchase under
the new rules, observers previously said. (See related article).
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