Efficient Potato Harvest in Cuban Province Backs National food Programs

HAVANA, Cuba, April 29 (acn) With a record yield of produce like potato and tomato, agricultural workers in the central-eastern of Ciego de Avila support national food plans amidst the current world economic crisis.

Reports say that private and state-owned farms in the territory collected over 110 million pounds of potatoes, considered the highest production over the past five years. The goal was reached thanks to good planning and appropriate availability of resources before the start of the
campaign.

The availability of necessary chemical fertilizers, pesticides and other expendables in sufficient amounts as well as the appropriate performance of watering systems made it possible to reach the record production, which also included a record yield of tomatoes (more than 50 million
pounds), similar to high levels collected in the 1980´s, Agriculture Ministry sources reported.

Part of the produce was preserved in cold stores to guarantee a steady supply to the local market, while the surplus was transported to the eastern provinces of Holguín, Las Tunas, Camagüey, Granma and Santiago de Cuba.

In order to get the most out of the collected produce, all five processing plants in Ciego de Avila are working at full capacity to produce different derivatives like tomato paste and pure.