CubaFruta project boosts fruit production in Matanzas with Italian support

The CubaFruta cooperation program, supported by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), has concluded its operations in Matanzas, benefiting more than 1,400 members of agricultural cooperatives and entities. The initiative focused on enhancing the production, processing, and commercialization of pineapple and avocado.

Key achievements include increasing pineapple production from 5,600 tons in 2020 to over 6,000 tons in 2025, with cultivated land expanding from 990 to over 1,100 hectares. The project introduced new pineapple varieties and expanded the avocado germplasm bank in Jagüey Grande to include more than 30 cultivars.

To promote sustainability and reduce reliance on agrochemicals, the program provided 11 specialized tractors and mechanical weeding equipment. Additionally, the project implemented solar-powered agro-industrial solutions, including a pineapple processing line at Victoria de Girón and fruit dehydration centers in Jagüey Grande and Colón, capable of processing up to 600 and 200 kilograms per day, respectively.