Cuba's Sugar Industry Diversifies Production Amid U.S. Embargo

The Cuban sugarcane sector is rapidly expanding into diversified agricultural production to mitigate the effects of the U.S. embargo and an energy crisis. Workers have shifted to spring planting of various crops for self‑consumption, adding grain, tubers and vegetables, while also increasing milk and beef collection for the dairy industry, internal trade and social consumption. The plan includes planting 840 hectares of rice, now 90 % complete, led by agro‑industrial firms Arquímides Colinas in Bayamo and Bartolomé Masó. At the same time, the sector faces setbacks in sugarcane, plantain and cassava cultivation, requiring intensified efforts to restore these crops. Enterprises have also created service networks to provide low‑priced, balanced food to households, and are producing charcoal, melado, vinegar, sweets and other solid foods for local markets.