A Cuban woman named Lisi shared a video on Facebook where she explains how she replaces rice with plantains to feed her family, including her young son, due to the skyrocketing cost of the staple grain.
"Right now, with prices through the roof, including rice, which costs at least 250 pesos per pound and is something consumed daily, just calculate how much you spend on rice alone each month," Lisi states in the video.
Facing this stark reality, Lisi resorts to plantain fufú, root vegetables, and cornmeal to solve her lunchtime dilemma: "When we can't afford to buy rice, we turn to our friend, the plantain. For lunch, it's easy—a little fufú, some root veggies, a bit of cornmeal, and that's how we tackle the food problem."
Lisi acknowledges that not all children accept this substitute: "Thankfully, my child does eat fufú. Some kids won't touch it."
This testimony highlights a crisis that affects more than just one household. By June 2026, the price of rice in Cuba's informal market surpassed 400 CUP per pound, compared to an average state salary of just 7,000 CUP per month and a basic basket estimated at 50,000 CUP.
The government attempted to curb the price surge in March 2025 by setting an official cap of 155 CUP per pound, but the market completely ignored it.
Cuba requires about 700,000 tons of rice annually but produces less than 15% of that amount, relying heavily on imports that the state struggles to afford due to a shortage of foreign currency.
In 2023, the nation imported 484,222 tons out of a total available 511,584 tons. China promised to send 90,000 tons for 2026, of which only 15,000 arrived in May, failing to address the structural deficit.
The strategy of using plantains, cassava, sweet potatoes, and other root vegetables as a substitute for rice has become a daily practice. A recent report documented how Cubans prepare vegetable purées as an alternative to the staple grain.
The stories of Cuban mothers unable to adequately feed their children have proliferated on social media. In May, a Cuban mother's heart-wrenching plea about the lack of food for her children also went viral.
Statistics from international organizations underline the severity of the crisis: the Food Monitor Program reported that 96.91% of the Cuban population lacks adequate food access, and 33.9% of households had a member who went to bed without dinner in the previous 30 days.
UNICEF warned in November 2025 that one in ten Cuban children suffers from severe food poverty, while the World Food Program noted that 48.5% of schoolchildren aged six to 11 receive no meals or snacks at school.
A staggering 80% of Cubans believe the current crisis is worse than the Special Period of the 1990s. "Cuban mothers, Cubans, we have to find strategies so that our food supply is not affected, especially when we have children or elderly people," Lisi concluded in her video.
Understanding Cuba's Food Crisis
Why are Cubans substituting rice with plantains?
Cubans are turning to plantains as a replacement for rice because the cost of rice has become unaffordable, with prices on the rise due to economic challenges and insufficient imports.
How severe is the food crisis in Cuba?
The food crisis in Cuba is severe, with nearly 97% of the population lacking adequate food access. A significant portion of households experiences food insecurity, and many children do not receive proper meals at school.
What efforts has the Cuban government made to address the rice shortage?
The Cuban government attempted to control the rice shortage by setting an official price cap, but the measure was largely ignored by the market. The country continues to struggle with insufficient production and unreliable imports.