A Cuban mother embarked on a search across various small businesses in Matanzas to find milk for her child, capturing in a Facebook video the startling prices she encountered: 6,500 pesos at a store in the Versalles neighborhood and 4,500 pesos at another shop where she ultimately made a purchase.
"We can't even afford milk here in Cuba anymore. Poor children who need it so much," Brianna Rodríguez lamented in the video clip.
Rodríguez candidly described her experience: "A packet of milk cost me 6,500 pesos. Honestly, the money I had wasn't enough."
She emphasized that her intention in recording the video was not to evoke pity but to shed light on the everyday struggles faced by Cuban families.
"I'm not sharing this to elicit sympathy or to bemoan poverty, but to show you the daily situation Cubans are up against," she explained. Her conclusion was stark: "A person living on their salary cannot survive," she underscored.
The prices Rodríguez documented are crushing when compared to the actual income of the population: a single bag of milk exceeds the minimum monthly wage of 3,210 pesos, which has been in effect since July.
This scenario is not unique. On Sunday, a mother from Havana, Ani Vázquez, residing in the Luyanó Moderno neighborhood, posted on Facebook that she was selling her induction cooker for 12,000 pesos because she couldn't afford milk for her child.
The trend of selling appliances and personal belongings to cover basic food needs is increasingly common on Cuban social media.
In the comments of Rodríguez's video, user Magalis Sosa Freire succinctly captured the widespread sentiment: "Life, this is not life, with all products priced so high and nobody stopping the increase, as each person sets their own price."
The crisis is rooted in structural issues. Between 2018 and 2023, domestic milk production plummeted by 58%, and imports of powdered milk dropped by 71%, according to data from the World Food Programme.
In June, the Minister of the Food Industry, Alberto López Díaz, admitted that over 100,000 children are not receiving their daily milk ration.
The plan is to supply powdered milk to 331,000 children and liquid milk to another 200,000, but none of these targets are being met.
Despite the widespread shortages, the government claims it ensures that milk is provided to 15,026 children with chronic illnesses and more than 16,000 pregnant women.
Understanding the Milk Crisis in Cuba
Why are milk prices so high in Cuba?
Milk prices in Cuba are soaring due to a sharp decline in domestic production and imports, exacerbated by economic challenges and mismanagement.
How does the milk shortage affect Cuban families?
The milk shortage severely impacts Cuban families, forcing them to sell personal belongings to afford basic needs and threatening the nutrition of children.
What measures is the Cuban government taking to address the milk shortage?
The government aims to supply powdered and liquid milk to children, but these plans are falling short, leaving many without essential nutrition.