Mexico aims to increase meat exports to Cuba
During 2021 Mexico exported to Cuba more than 8,000 tons of meat products derived from chicken and pork.
Mexican business producers know that the island is highly dependent on food imports and intend to take advantage of this circumstance.
Jesús Huerta, president of the National Association of Federal Inspection Type Establishments (ANETIF), said that recently permits were obtained to incorporate some thirty Mexican processing plants that will aim to expand and continue exporting meat products to Cuba.
Mexican producers intend to increase exports of beef, poultry and pork products to the island.
Last year, 2021, Cuba was one of the four most significant destinations for Mexican chicken meat exports.
Other important destinations were Brazil and the USA, with much larger populations than Cuba, and Benin, a West African country with more than 12 million inhabitants.
The 30 processing plants mentioned by orchard, more than half of them, 16 specifically, will be able to export for the first time.
The inspections and industrial certifications were carried out by Mexico’s National Service for Agri-Food Health, Safety and Quality (Senasica), the body that carried out the necessary negotiations with Cuba’s Ministry of Agriculture, the importing party.
According to statements made by the president of ANETIF, meat products produced in plants bearing the TIF seal guarantee high standards of safety and sanitation, which are internationally recognized.
Cuba is going through a deep economic crisis, which is particularly noticeable in the deficit of food production, especially meat products.
Mexico, an ally of Cuba
Mexico will not only increase meat exports to Cuba, but also collaborates to increase production within the island.
Both countries have recently formed a joint venture to try to recover pork production.
At the end of May, news circulated about the creation of Dagame S.A., a joint venture with Cuban and Mexican capital, whose objective will be to promote pig fattening.
The joint venture will have its headquarters in Alquízar, Artemisa province, according to a report by the Cuban News Agency.
The production goal is to reach 3,000 tons of live meat per year.
The destination of these pigs is the tourist market and the plants installed in the Special Development Zone in Mariel.
Meat production crisis in Cuba
The island is largely dependent on food imports.
Pork production, which grew steadily between 2007 and 2017, has plummeted in recent times which has caused the prices of the meat most demanded by Cubans to skyrocket.
According to official data, in 2021 pork production fell by 53.5%. Total production only reached 132.9 tons last year.
The rest of the main livestock statistics also reflect falls in the production of beef (13.5%), fresh milk (16%) and eggs (10.5%).
A downward trend in pork production in Cuba was already evident in 2020. That year, 36% less was produced than in 2017, according to ONEI data.
