-DATE-
19891220
-YEAR-
1989
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
-AUTHOR-
-HEADLINE-
Castro, PCC Leaders on National Food Program
-PLACE-
CARIBBEAN / Cuba
-SOURCE-
Havana Cubavision Network
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS-LAT-90-004
-REPORT_DATE-
19900105
-HEADER-
BRS Assigned Document Number:    000000373
Report Type:         Daily Report             AFS Number:     WA0301223290
Report Number:       FBIS-LAT-90-004          Report Date:    05 Jan 90
Report Series:       Daily Report             Start Page:     12
Report Division:     CARIBBEAN                End Page:       17
Report Subdivision:  Cuba                     AG File Flag:   
Classification:      UNCLASSIFIED             Language:       Spanish
Document Date:       20 Dec 89
Report Volume:       Friday Vol VI No 004

Dissemination:  

City/Source of Document:   Havana Cubavision Network

Report Name:   Latin America

Headline:   Castro, PCC Leaders on National Food Program

Subheadline:   Second Part of Food Plan Program

Author(s):   caption-- recorded]

Source Line:   WA0301223290 Havana Cubavision Network in Spanish 0200 GMT 20
Dec 89

Subslug:   [``National Food Program, Part II,'' second of a series of special
programs on meetings held between Cuban President Fidel Castro with
Communist Party of Cuba, PCC, leaders held at Havana's Palace of the
Revolution on 11, 12, and 13 December; speakers identified by
caption-- recorded]

-TEXT-
FULL TEXT OF ARTICLE:
1.  [``National Food Program, Part II,'' second of a series of special programs
on meetings held between Cuban President Fidel Castro with Communist Party of
Cuba, PCC, leaders held at Havana's Palace of the Revolution on 11, 12, and 13
December; speakers identified by caption-- recorded]

2.  [Text] [Castro] Let's look at another province. [Francisco Garcia Ferrer,
first secretary of the PCC in Holguin Province] Holguin. [Castro] Well, it's
Holguin's turn.  What's new in that place?

3.  [Garcia] In the first place, in Holguin 68 or 70 percent of vegetable
production is in the hands of peasants and cooperativists. The state [changes
thought] that is, we have there an element, and that percentage is one that
lacks irrigation, thus this part of the countryside is without irrigation. The
storage system, the storage organization must be improved and made more
efficient, because in my opinion this is having an influence.  Because the
cooperatives are [changes thought] now we have been meeting each month for 3
months with the 66 chairmen of the vegetable CPA [Agricultural-Livestock
Cooperatives] to ensure that the state can maintain all conditions so they can
produce. And we have seen a number of things. And with individual peasants and
the credit and service cooperatives, it's the same: We must control and
organize them, so they can produce, because they are widely dispersed. At
present we have 50 caballerias of bananas planted. We are stimulating....
[Castro, interrupting] With or without water? [Garcia] With water. The water
is.... [Castro, interrupting] Where is the water brought from? Biran dam?
[Garcia] Biran, exactly.  Thus water is guaranteed for the caballerias.
[Castro] And it's good banana soil. [Garcia] Good soil. We are struggling to
have by the middle of next year the 88 caballerias irrigated. [Castro] Bananas?
[Garcia] Bananas and plantains. [Castro] And plantains as well.  [Garcia] So
this is a specific goal, this can produce a measurable amount of vegetables. We
are working at top speed there to try to consolidate that. We have San Andres.
In San Andres we have 90 caballerias which we can irrigate. [Castro] I think in
Holguin we have to do special things, because it's the most critical situation
in the country. One million inhabitants and fewer possibilities to get water,
fewer possibilities to get vegetables.  [Orlando Lugo Fonte, National
Association of Small Farmers president] You can imagine, Commander, that in
1986, when there was a little rain in Holguin, the peasant and cooperative
sector produced 921,000 quintals of bananas.  [Castro] Yes. [Lugo] And in 1987
and 1988, we dropped to 258,000 and 471,000 respectively.  [Castro] That was
total drought. [Unidentified speaker] If we had water in the cooperatives in
small minidams....  [Castro, interrupting] What happens is the following and
it's happened to me more than once, Adolfo. I give equipment for minidams and
they start to build dams with minidam equipment. [Unidentified speaker] Well... 
[Castro, interrupting] So it it takes 3 years to build a dam. And another 3
years for an irrigation system, while the minidams are supposed to be made in 3
months and so have the water. I would be willing to look for the effort, but I
have a question: What can the state do to improve the situation, independently
of these big strategic plans which last 5 or 6 years or more? Because now I
have to know how long it takes to make the 7 km of tunnels needed to carry the
water from the Mayari River to the Biran River. What can be done? What can we
do?  What should we do? There is a special situation in Holguin. I think
Holguin requires special measures-- intelligent, practical measures, to resolve
this. Not desperate measures, practical measures. Well, gentlemen, we have to
create three, four minidam brigades. We have to create 60 reservoirs. You also
have to convince me that when they are built, they'll fill up with water. 
Because if we make dams and the dams don't have water [changes thought] but
okay, let's suppose that it rains now and then, every 3 years. What should be
done, what must we do in those places? What must the socialist state do, when
an entire province finds itself in a situation like that, to produce these
kinds of food? Because I'm not talking about milk, don't even dream about that,
or rice, don't even dream about it--maybe sugarcane, well, that's something.

4.  We have to finish solving the problem of Holguin by these four ways. The
first is, all these lands, as he said, irrigated state vegetable lands, the
minidam programs to irrigate all that [sentence as heard]. Three, really there
are three. Dams and minidams pertain to production and service-credit
cooperatives. Third, new areas with water, if we are going to bring water from
out there in Canasta Dam to La Roja, bring water from way out there to here [as
heard]. Then, I'd say, maybe as a third measure [as heard], to see what can be
done with today's peasants, those who plant garlic, but bringing technology to
these places. State lands with water, peasant and cooperative lands with water,
there's not enough for new lands with water for important state food and
vegetable production plans. Let's solve the problem in Holguin.  This doesn't
take into account the other measure, which is the strategic one--which water
from the mountains to Holguin and Tuna? Lazaro, you have the floor.

5.  [Lazaro Vazquez Garcia, first secretary of the PCC in Camaguey Province]
It's the milk-producing basin.  Sometimes there's a lot of talk about the
milk-producing basin, but there's also all the development of the southern part
of the province, even the development of La Gria in the north which includes
cattle feeding centers, etc. In relation to milk production, this will be a
record year despite the difficulties with water, with the rain. The province
should produce around 17 million liters more than last year. This wasn't easy.
It's been necessary to hold a daily meeting at 8 p.m. in each municipality with
all cattle workers because cattle raising is a great battle. When feed doesn't
arrive, when there are difficulties, then logically all the indicators are
revised.  But we will reach around 140,000 tons of milk, that is around 140
million liters. We will have 195,000 births, also the highest figure the
province has had. We will have 10,000 fewer deaths.

6.  [Castro] How many births did you say?

7.  [Vazquez] One hundred and ninety-five thousand. We will have 10,000 fewer
deaths. Ten thousand eight hundred more cows have been brought in. The silo
campaign hasn't been the best because of the lack of grass. We have also had a
lot of difficulty with the harvester for the silo and equipment to make silos.
Passing on to beef production, it also fulfilled the target this year. Now
passing to construction, there was a commitment to build 50 cattle raising
centers, and 60 will be completed. The sheep raising plan, Commander, is
working. Improvement of 892 caballerias has taken place. That brigade was
offered for 100 caballerias and 150 caballerias [words indistict].  The
province has 215,000 sheep, that includes the state and private sectors but the
plan, specifically with installations, calls for 53,000 sheep. We should reach
300,000.  Around 1,265 tons of mutton are being produced, a portion of which
comes to Havana, and another portion goes to the restaurant which you said
should be built and was built. [Castro] Does the [word indistict] restaurant
have a lot of clients? [Vazquez] There's a tremendous demand. Well, in the plan
we must reach 167 million eggs this year. [Castro] How many last year?
[Vazquez] Last year, 5 million more than this year.

8.  [Castro] You had more. [Vazquez] Yes. Truthfully, Commander, it has to be
said that there have been difficulties for the others, difficulties with herd
handling.  We also had to make a lot of technical replacements.  That is
stabilized as of now. [Castro] Next year, will your production increase?

9.  [Vazquez] Next year we should reach 178 million, until we reach 239
million--which is the total for the province. With poultry, on the other hand,
a record figure was attained. This year we will reach 6,000 tons, 200 more than
last year. With goose production, the figure is 126,000, around 30 tons of
feathers reached this year, and we carry it out in Santa Cruz del Sur, in
Camaguey and in Solar, having tested the sites, etcetera. Thus this program
isn't doing great, but is attaining the knowledge necessary to raise this type
of fowl. In pig raising, this year the province will reach 9,000 tons of pork.
In 1990, we should reach 11,100 tons; in 1991, 12,130; in 1992, 14,000; and, in
1993, 17,000. The cheese factory is planned for the first trimester of next
year. The l8 freezers are practically completed, all equipment-related aspects
are being completed. In that plant the builders are working day and night. It's
not a simple matter. The plant is large. To conclude, this problem with milk,
well, we also plan on completing the first phase of the powdered milk factory
by 30 June and it will begin to make milk. [Castro] Will it produce any
powdered milk next year? Will you have a surplus by springtime? [Vazquez] Yes,
there'll be a surplus by spring. [Castro] And don't you still have to send milk
to the people in Holguin?  [Vazquez] It's being sent. But then.... [Castro,
interrupting] You also send milk to Tuna.

10.  [Vazquez] To Tuna? I'm not certain whether it goes to Tuna. [Castro] In
the future you won't have to send milk to Tuna, Humberto. [Humberto Miguel
Fernandez, first secretary of the PCC in Cienfuegos] With your permission,
Commander.  Well, following more or less the same sequence followed by the
comrades, attempting to be specific, regarding the pig raising program we have
already completed the first pig raising center recently, in recent weeks. We
have started construction on the second pig raising center. Also next year we
should start a liquid [word indistinct] factory and a multiplier.  Relating to
food and vegetable production, our territory was seriously affected by this
situation of the Juragua Plan. That is, the water reserves as [word indistinct]
and salinization from the ocean. All systems in this plan should be completed
by next year. Also, as we have discussed, the pipes for the remainder of the 12
million have been guaranteed to reach 24, with a program to irrigate 170
caballerias [as heard]. A brigade that you gave us is working there. Next year
100 caballerias will be left there. [Castro] Where? In Juragua? [Fernandez]
More, with irrigation machines and 70 with localized irrigation. That is, in
that place alone we should produce more than the actual production of the
province. That's planned with a view to exporting some banana here, to the
capital. With all the measures of the self-consumption programs in each
enterprise, including self-consumption programs in the mountains where we are
also planting bananas mostly, mixed with coffee and the rest--that is, the
self-consumption programs of the sugar industry ministry, the [word
indistinct], of the Agriculture Ministry enterprises and of the
municipalities--we believe, Commander, that the food problem in our territory
will be definitively solved. That is, we will produce enough for us to solve,
not only the problems in the territory--although we don't have a great many
areas dedicated to this [as heard]. Regarding citrus products, this year we
have a plan for 28,435 tons. We should accomplish it 100 percent. And the same
applies to the 24,100 we are supposed to export. We are also developing
hydroponics in our territory. We currently have 10 hectares of hydroponics and
we are working to reach 50 hectares divided among three municipalities.
[Castro] How long would it take for the Isle of Youth, since we're looking at
it here as a province? [Armando Manresa, first secretary of the PCC in the Isle
of Youth] We are just now ending the grapefruit harvest. This year we should
harvest around 120,000 tons. And we should reach 100,00 tons for export. We
think the organization of the entire harvest system is efficient enough. The
harvesters, both those of us who are mobilized--as well as students of the
``million-ton'' movement--have reached a high productivity. It has to be said
that with a very small workforce, the citrus harvest has been carried out. 
[Castro] How many caballerias did you plant this year?  [Manresa] This year we
should reach 72 caballerias.  We'll pass over a few caballerias we always
prepare for next year, since the fruit won't reach adequate size. But, although
it will be delayed a few months, we'll plant them during the optimal period and
next year. We have around 120 planned, but will plant around 140 caballerias
because we have the land, it's been prepared, etcetera. I think citrus
production may leap next year to record numbers. Production per hectare has
fallen a bit this year, from the 15 tons we attained last year to around 11.8,
not quite 12 tons. We continue to work on the citrus program. We are building a
packaging plant, which should be finished halfway into next year, for the next
harvest. We should start the expansion of the citrus production complex. We
should also continue working on expanding the irrigation system. We should
finish next year a new system with a pumping station for 120 caballerias more
of citrus. Relating to food and vegetables, this year we'll produce
approximately l20,000 quintals more than last year of foods and vegetables
both. We will have reached around 400,000 quintals by 31 December. We are
working to reach 1 million quintals of both products. [Castro] One million
quintals. [Manresa] Yes. [Castro] Of food and vegetables? [Manresa] Yes-- based
on some necessities for the preserves industry--in tomato production and other
packaged products. Next year, we plan to reach 670,000 quintals of food and
vegetables-- 188,000 of foodstuff and 490,000 of vegetables.  Remember that we
include melons in this number, and we send almost all our melons here to
Havana. It's included in the production figure for food and vegetables. Next
year some 80 caballerias with their irrigation systems should start production
and we are also working to expand the hydroponic systems. We plan to have 16
hectares of hydroponics and this year we should complete around 2 hectares of
these new hydroponics. We are also working on the poultry and pig raising plan.
I think these two programs are also going well, as according to plan. This year
we should produce 2 million more eggs than last year. At present, we obtain 6.2
liters per cow, but we know we have genetic potential to attain.... [Castro,
interrupting] What number? [Manresa] Six point two liters. [Castro] That's
fairly low, eh?  How many tons do you receive of your own citrus production?
[Manresa] From citrus production we take 2,000 tons. [Castro] That's all. Dried
already? [Manresa] Dried, practically turned into flour. [Indistinct words;
crowd noise] [Victorino Lemus Rivero, first secretary of the PCC in Havana
Province] This year we have a plan for 9.952 million quintals of foods and
vegetables which will not be accomplished. We should come closer to 7.8 million
of foods and vegetables. This is due principally to the weather during the
early months of the year, including also September [as heard]. Because of the
delays we have had in sowing for production in December, this has had an
influence; for example, in potatoes, we lost from the potato plan around half a
million quintals of potatoes during the current harvest because of the weather
situation we had in Havana Province. Regarding tomatoes, we lost [changes
thought] no, not lost, tomato production was affected to the tune of 333,000
quintals. [Word indistinct] was a disaster, the problem of [word indistinct]
because of moths and the problem of products against moths. And onions were
also affected. Beginning with the present growing season, which began in
September, we have developed an entire process. We have to plan for this
growing season which is from September to May, pardon me, to February, around
2,400 caballerias, nearly 2,500 caballerias. Of this, 560 caballerias are
potatoes, that is, the greatest number of potatoes planned for the province.
The planting, as the minister explained, has been delayed.  We were striving to
complete the sowing by 25 December, but we've had nearly 15 days that we
haven't been able to work on the planting. We only have 200 caballeries of
potatoes planted. We are making an effort to plant what's needed in December
and, in the first 10 days of January, complete the potato planting. We have
completed with the garlic, that is, we have 145 caballerias of garlic planted.
And we should finish with onions by the end of this month. Thus, an important
effort is being made in all this work of planting for next year. The goal for
next year is to plant 300 caballerias of plantains [platano burro], which would
render around 5,000 quintals the first year and for 1991, 1.5 million quintals
of plantains. [Castro, interrupting] I've been told people like plantains.

11.  [Lemus] Yes, of course. [Castro] Like bananas. What do the Havana comrades
have to say? Do you know plantains? [crowd noise] How accepted is it? Yes.
Proceed.  [Lemus] Well, Commander, here's another thing I'd like to explain to
you. Along with this entire process which we are carrying out regarding the
planting for next year, during the entire year we have also been working on a
strong inversion program in agriculture. Next year agriculture will become in
our province the third highest sector in construction inversion. Why? Because,
well, same as Havana City has been creating the centralized markets, down here
in agriculture we are creating a series of inversions to benefit agricultural
products. For example, we're working on 30 storage bins to be completed this
year.  We're working this year, next year and maybe part of 1991, on the
construction of 20 potato research centers and 26 banana research centers, like
the ones you saw 31 May in Artemisa. [Castro] Yes. [Lemus] This year we will
complete one for each enterprise. And so we will progressively finish this
whole process of banana research by 1991 or 1992. Agriculture in Havana had an
average inversion, years back, of 3 million pesos.  Already for 1990 we
approach an inversion of 30 million pesos. In addition, we are also working in
everything related to the stabilization of the workforce, which is one of the
most serious problems encountered by agriculture in our province and which has
influenced the noncompletion of the harvest plan for this year. At present we
are making a camp in each enterprise to be completed by 31 December, for the
harvest. Because what's going to happen now? Since we're going to have to
gather the potatoes in December, a stage won't grow together [as heard], and
it's the same thing every year. That is, they won't grow together. [Castro] And
the potatoes are going to grow together, for certain? [Lemus] For certain they
are. [Castro] You must plant them together. [Lemus] And so we are preparing
ourselves right now....

12.  [Castro, interrupting] What's going to grow in 500-plus caballerias in a
few days is phenomenal. [Lemus] Yes, it's [changes thought] that is, everything
related to transportation, the workforce, everything related to this. Well,
that's agriculture. [Castro] One question. [Lemus] Yes.  [Castro] What is your
idea? We have a written plan and a greater effort. What is your idea of
production, as you conceive it for next year? [Lemus] Well, I don't know the
written plan. What I know is moral commitment, which is for 10.5 million
quintals for next year. [Castro] How many Fregat machines will you receive for
this period?  [Lemus] Well, lately we've received around 100 machines--in the
last few days. This month we received 29 machines. Yes, our agriculture....
[Castro, interrupting] [Words indistinct] l0,000 irrigated hectares.  Another
thing, last year we lacked water in [Manto Freati] and this year, with little
rain, we have all the water we need. We attibute this to the dyke we built
south of Havana. The real fact is that in a dry year we have more water than
last year. The harvest will accumulate. We have a little more cooling capacity,
but we are building two new freezers of 10,000 tons each.  [Lemus] One in
Guines. [Castro] Yes, and the other in Alquizar? [Lemus] And the other in
Alquizar. [Castro] I wonder when we'll finish that freezer, maybe next year. 
[Lemus] The one in Alquizar? [Castro] Yes. [Lemus] Well, they're working with
the objective....

13.  [Castro] Yes? [Lemus] They are planning the engineering, to start
construction in the first semester and be able to use 12 cold storage chambers
there. [Castro] Will the freezer be ready by l991? [Lemus] By 1991. [Castro] I
mean to say, for the 1991 potato harvest.

14.  [Lemus] For the potato harvest, sure. [Castro] And the one in Guines can
be speeded up too?

15.  [Lemus] It can be speeded up to that date. [Castro] The contingent is
doing that. [Lemus] The Blas Roca [contingent].  [Castro] I think it's very
important to start that.  We have to store more potatoes, more things--and
that's not all we'll do. Are these new? [Lemus] There's one ready, another
planned for July in Batabano. [Castro] Havana is in a situation [changes
thought] Havana has 3 million inhabitants, between those here and those in the
province. We must produce food and vegetables for all these people. And there
comes a point when the workforce is lacking.  I think the students in Havana,
and possible those in the country schools, must assist to produce the food
supply for the capital. Use the country schools-- and even the country schools
have been attacked here, like the family doctor--I believe that they are the
best things the revolution has done, they at bottom don't want the revolution
and are allergic to the revolution, they are hurt by each good thing done by
the revolution [as heard]. Well, I don't know what production would be today,
how all those plans could be attended to, if it weren't for the hundreds of
thousands of students who participate. And not only those who are there
permanently, but also those who go every year-- and each time they go with more
discipline. And if conditions improve each time, more will join, as is
happening now, when we are demanding of agriculture that it have adequate
camps, adequate attention, etcetera. There is another measure--the strategic
one-- water carried from the mountains to Holguin and Tuna.  It appears Holguin
will be one of the provinces with the most irrigation. What is the importance
of our taking 500 caballerias? If we take 5,000 caballerias, we double
production. So we'll go in two stages, Adolfo. The first stage is of the state
lands we are going to irrigate and the minidam plan. That's the first. So let's
see, to start fast, immediately, what must we do? What's needed? And let's
finish dealing with this problem. Santiago de Cuba, gentlemen, it's truly
incredible, but it has a self-supply plan. Santiago hasn't any land; Santiago
is mountainous.  Santiago de Cuba is developing a food and vegetable supply
plan for itself. Why can't we try this in Holguin?  Let's rationalize this a
bit more. Sugarcane is for us the most sacred thing, but one thing is above it:
Food and vegetable production for the population. In agriculture we have
important cattle raising plans, pig raising plans, fowl production plans,
citrus production plans, plans for everything, but there is one plan we must
guarantee--the food and vegetable plan. Two years ago we planned to use 5,000
caballerias more for food and vegetables. And to give them water. Well, there
you have Cautillo Dam being built and other dams being built for this. We
planned to add 5,000 caballerias of food and vegetables, with irrigation. Let's
solve this problem once and for all.  Plantains, bananas, well, the new seed
multiplication techniques, let's do them. I place this apart from the sugarcane
and rice, which are different programs. I place this apart from the pig raising
plan, the milk production plan, the fowl production plan, the citrus plan. Food
and vegetables. And in addition, I'll take away from sugarcane, if I have to,
I'll take away 100 caballerias. [Words indistinct] and you'll see how with
Jobabo River waters I find 100 more. So I'll have 250 plus 100, 350, and some I
have with water--and I didn't have to build a dam-- plus the other 60 you say
you have out there. No, 100, plus 110, you have 460 caballerias for foods and
vegetables with irrigation. One hundred of them can be found now, winding up
the matter of the sugar harvest, cutting there, making sure it's near the
river, taking advantage of a dam already in place, and irrigating there. The
first 100 with irrigation have to be those by the Jobabo River, in [word
indistinct] sugarcane. The second 100 are in Tana and the third 100 [corrects
himself] the third 250 of Fortaleza. [Unidentified broadcaster] At the
conclusion of the meeting, Commander in Chief Fidel Castro emphasized
prioritizing the nation's food program for 1990. [Castro] Which are the
fundamental programs?  Well, the sugarcane [corrects himself] I mean, as a raw
material for animal feed and as a source of foreign exchange. But everything
else--the milk production plan, using [word indistinct]--six fronts have been
opened [as heard]. We may do some additional things, but I think these will be
all the dairy centers needed, all the calves born in this country. It's a milk
production plan to the maximum. I already said we need 40 dairy centers to take
care of the growing population, and we plan on building 200. We think that part
of this will be to substitute for imports. But let's have a program to produce
milk to the maximum of which this country is capable, including the import of
some calves. That's an important program we are carrying out, milk. The pig
raising program. In barely 3 years we'll double pork production. At least what
we're doing won't take more than 3 years. The 27 integrated centers being built
by MICONS [Ministry of Construction] and the storage bins built by agriculture
in 3 years will have doubled capacity. Supposing it takes a bit longer, I don't
think it will take 3 and ½ years in doubling the 100,000 tons of pork we now
produce. We have planned for the industry which will process it. We are
carrying out the egg program to increase production by 700 million in less than
3 years. Agriculture has to build 1,800 storage structures and you see that
each province explained it has built more storage structure than is called for
in this year's plan. The 1,800 structures are being built in 3 years. These
1,800 structures are for the additional 700 million eggs and for some 40,000 or
45,000 tons of additional poultry. This is less a matter of business than of
insuring the production of poultry, in part to substitute imports and in part
to improve nutrition. We are carrying out the sheep plan, also in the whole
country, to produce several million heads of sheep. We are thinking of using
the [word indistinct], we are testing the [word indistinct], depends on the
possibility of rabbit and geese and that type of production. Production of
[tirapia], freshwater fish, is being increased at top speed. Everything useful,
every dam we have, to the maximum-- those we have and those we're building. For
that reason, we spoke here of all the hectares of ponds being made at top
speed. That we have a surplus, that's my proposition.  That we always have a
surplus. That even in a very bad year we have enough, and in a normal year we
have a surplus. But we will plant as many caballerias as necessary, applying
technology, with irrigation. We will simply carry it out and we will continue,
because this year the plan is for 42 million and I've said don't subscribe to
42 million, let's struggle for this, let's see if we reach 37 and we go from 31
to 37. But let us continue.  I'd like for this to work out like with
contruction materials, which at some point reached a surplus. We are
intensifying the rice plan, also by using technology--not only with the new
water sources. In 1 and ½ years the Cauto Dam will be completed. It will give
400 million cubic meters of water for rice production, primarily, also
sugarcane. El Corojo is completed with 180, the other one is also completed,
and we are going to start up immediately all the rest in Manzanillo [corrects
himself] in Granma [as heard]. We will dam them all up. There won't be a single
potential dam left unbuilt there.  Because the greatest rice fields in Cuba are
precisely in Granma, we will complete them, we will apply engineering systems,
and all the water they need and that is saved [as heard].

16.  In reality, comrades, we will ultimately have around 180,000 hectares of
rice [repeats] around 180,000 hectares of rice, physically. Let's calculate if
we have a bit less, 160, because in addition we will include around 400 in
Moron which we have near La Leche lake. We will include some lands in other
places. Drainage parcelled in lots produces nearly 3 tons of rice more.
Drainage parcelled in lots is an engineering system. It produces nearly 3 tons
more. That is, we can reach a rice production of more than 20 million quintals.
We can reach a production of 600,000 to 700,000 tons. Today we produce around
300,000. What's our present production?  Ten million, eleven, around 250,000
[as heard]. With what we are doing to obtain water for rice, as I said, we
think we'll have seven brigades at the end of the year. We think we'll have 15
by the end of next year, and 30 by the end of 1991. I think we can reach 40. By
the end of 1990, we'll have everything relating to sugarcane organized. 
[corrects himself] No, not by the end of 1990, by the end of 1991 we'll have
everything relating to sugarcane organized. We're doing it with shrimp, we have
four shrimp fronts [as heard]. So in rice we can produce, by a not too
optimistic reckoning, between 500,000 and 600,000 tons of rice with the program
we are following.  And we'll do it same as with sugarcane, at top speed and
using levelers made in Cuba. To this plan we can add the citrus and fruit
plans. The citrus plan is for export and for us. Yes, we are developing a very
important food plan which will provide eggs, milk, cheese, meat. I haven't
spoken of beef. Its increase will be both natural and also fed by saccharine
[as heard]. We will improve it, but I haven't included it in these
calculations. We are developing an ambitious food plan, then, on solid bases,
serious work. It's already in place, you could see that in this meeting;
because you could see it clearly here in the accounts given by each of the
provinces. This isn't for export, this is for us. Is this clear? The food
program does not expect to waste exportable funds. We won't eat all the citrus
fruits we produce and will continue to produce.  This is an internal
consumption program. The entire food program is to improve our nutrition. The
same in industry, the same in beer production, in all this, the same with fruit
production generally. I didn't include it here, but there are important fruit
plans being carried out in this reforestation campaign [as heard]. The
important thing is that we're making a great effort in this area for us.
Tourism is for foreign exchange, the pharmaceutical industry and biotechnology
is for foreign exchange, plus whatever benefits we can use, a small portion.
The food program is for the population. All food development is for the people.
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