Current Intelligence Weekly Summary

Approved for Release: 2026/03/06 C03176167
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CURRENT INTELLIGENCE WEEKLX' SUMMARY
FOOD PROBLEMS IN CUBA
The stringent rationing '
largely by fear by expropriation——
which became effective in most
parts of Cuba on 19 March
reflects Cuba's continuing need
to import about 30 percent of
its basic foods because most
of its cropland is planted to
sugar cane. Although the bloc
now provides most of these
imports, many foodstuffs are
received in smaller amounts
than were formerly supplied by
the US. The US used to take
two thirds of Cuba's agricultur
exports, but its trade break
with Cuba and Havana's involve-
ment in barter trade with the
bloc have sharply reduced
Cuban sales of agricultural
products for hard currency,
thereby impairing Havana's
ability to pay cash for food-
stuffs from Western markets.
The bloc has not supplied
enough of such foods as lard,
vegetable oils, rice, beans,
and pork, all of which formerly
came from the US.
The rationing will in-
clude rice, beans, beef, butter
lard, and cooking oils in
quantities ranging roughly from
one third to two thirds of ‘
average consumption levels in
1958. Also rationed are fish,
poultry, eggs, milk, fresh
produce, soap, and detergents,
some of which are rationed at
levels higher than 1958 con-
sumption levels. Each adult
is to receive one and.a half
pounds of beans per month,
three quarters of a pound of
beef per week, and one cake of
soap per month.
Cuba ranked among the best
fed nations in Latin America in
1958, with an estimated per
capita caloric intake of 2,870-
well above the minimum require-
ment of 2,500 calories to sus-
tain good health. While
domestic food production has
not fallen greatly since Castro
came to power, there have been
widespread shortages caused by
a reduction in imports, inade-
quate storage, increased de-
mand, and mismanagement of
transport, marketing, and dis-
tribution facilities. Recent
shortages of meat and other
livestock products are attribu-
table mainly to excessive
slaughtering--precipitated
23 Mar 62
al
9
in 1959 and 1960.
Although there is no evi-
dence of serious hunger or
malnutrition, Cuba faces further
inconveniences and disruptions
in its normal consumption pat-
terns. Dissatisfaction over
the quality and variety of the
diet and resentment over dis-
tributional failings are ex-
pected to continue. However,
per capita consumption could
fall 20 percent from the 1958
level and still exceed that in
most countries of South America.
Cuba's sugar harvest in
1962 is expected to be no more
than 4,500,000 tons, or about
two thirds of the 6,800,000
tons harvested in 1961. This
drop in production can be
attributed to the following:
rainfall has been below normal;
little new cane was planted
in 1959 and 1960; cultivation
of the cane was neglected in
the last three years; some cane
land was plowed up in the crop
diversification effort; inex-
perienced cutters damaged the
perennial root stock in 1961;
and finally, all standing cane
was cut in 1961, leaving no
carry-over for 1962.
Beyond these factors, the
most important single problem
in harvesting has been the
difficulty in obtaining labor
to cut the cane and transport
it to the mills. Many of the
experienced cane cutters, dis-
appointed by low wages last
year, have found other employ-
ment and are not volunteering
their services in spite of re-
peated exhortations from the
government. Volunteers are
apparently less willing to co-
operate this year because
grandiose promises made last
year were not fulfilled. The
sugar content of the cane,
which reaches a maximum con-
centration during late March
and early April, falls off
rapidly if the harvest is
prolonged or if transportation
from fields to grinding mills
is delayed. Furthermore,
cutting and hauling would be
handica ed b the rainPP Y Y
season be inning in May. (bX3)
by we
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Approved for Release: 2026/03/06 C03176167