Food production in western Pinar del Rio, where 70 percent of the agricultural infrastructure was destroyed by two powerful hurricanes in 2008, has shown significant progress, though the yield still doesn’t meet the demand.

According to a meeting of the Provincial Committee of the Cuban Communist Party (PCC), some of the causes holding back the development of the sector are objective factors such as unfavorable weather conditions, the lack of fertilizers and equipment but also subjective reasons such as indiscipline and lack of control.

Participants in the meeting tackled other issues hampering the sector such as the lack of objectivity and inefficiency of production and commercialization plans.

On this issue, Gladis Martinez Verdecia, the PCC’s first secretary in the region, said there is significant difference between production goals and harvests.

Regarding the leasing of idle lands to individuals, one of the participants said more than 200 contracts have been rescinded because the portion of lands granted have been either misused (used for other purposes that food production) or remain idle.

Participants agreed on the importance of ensuring that the land is actually used for agricultural purposes.

In Pinar del Rio, 65 percent of idle lands have been granted on lease to individual farmers. This measure has brought 700 people into work.

At the end of the meeting, Martinez talked about the need to incorporate more young people in production activities.