• Submitted by: manso
• Business and Economy
• 03 / 22 / 2011

---

Published March 21, 2011.EFE. Havana –  Growing demand from Cuba's new food-service businesses has obliged the government to make plans to increase production of bread, Communist Party daily Granma said Monday.

In Havana alone it is estimated that more than 9,700 people now operate private cafeterias and restaurants since the government expanded the scope for self-employment and small business.

"There can obviously be no other solution than increasing production levels in order to satisfy the demand," Granma said, adding that while lines are shorter than a year ago, it is still "difficult" to buy bread in Cuba.

Cuban citizens have the right to buy one loaf of bread per day at a subsidized price with their rationing cards, but in recent years state-run establishments have been opened where that product is sold freely.

Baked goods can also be purchased at hard-currency shops.

State-owned Cadena Cubana del Pan reported an increase in its production from 25 tons of bread per day in 2010 to 33 at present, while this year a growth of 52 percent in the nation's bread sales is expected.

Granma said that investments have been made so that there is no lack of resources for production and better technologies are being sought.

"We hope the quantities keep up with reality. But nobody sees this 'increase' as the immediate and final solution," the daily said.

According to Gloria Rodriguez, the director of Cadena Cubana del Pan, the new production volumes being planned are still "insufficient," but keeping up with them means that bakeries will have to start making their own bread again.

The possibility is also being studied for other state companies in the gastronomy sector to begin to produce as well, while at the same time expanding the offer with whole-wheat products and different varieties of bread.

Source: http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/money/2011/03/21/demand-food-vendors-sp...