Cuba begins divvying up land to farmers

Cuba begins divvying up land to farmers
Posted : Tue, 01 Apr 2008 03:57:00 GMT
Author : DPA
Category : America (World)

Havana - Cuba's government has begun doling out unused agricultural land
to farmers with the aim of increasing production of staple foods,
tobacco and coffee, state television reported. The land is being made
available to farmers only through cooperatives, Orlando Lugo Fonte,
chairman of Cuba's national farmers organization, said in the TV report
Monday night.

Despite a shortage of foreign currency, the Communist Caribbean island
must import a large portion of its food. The government has raised
prices of agricultural products with the aim of boosting production.

About half the cultivable land in Cuba lies fallow or is insufficiently
used, according to government accounts.

The land redistribution is to proceed orderly and no chaos would result,
said Fonte, who is also a member of the State Council.

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/195840,cuba-begins-divvying-up-land-to-farmers.html