Sugar Sector Remains a Cuban Priority

Havana, Jun 7. – Cuba''s Acting Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment, Antonio Luis Carricarte, said today that the development of the sugar sector remains among the country's priorities.

It remains a medium term portfolio to be dealt with, not only in terms of the role of sugar, but also of the development of the sugar cane related industry in order to create wealth, culture and also to maintain its historical role.

Carricarte opened an international seminar, attended by representatives from 17 countries, to mark the 50th anniversary of Cubazucar corporation.

The event is sponsored by Cubazucar, the International Sugar Organization and the sugar group Azcuba.

Carricarte said that as a result of the scientific-technical development of the Cuban industry, other sectors, like the pharmaceutical and biotechnological industry, have gained room in its export-oriented structure

Executive Director of ISO, Peter Baron, highlighted the special cooperation links between his organization and Cubazucar, and noted that this is the country he has visited the most (12 times).

"We brought to Cuba one of the first sugar projects funded by the Joint Basic Good Fund and we helped it restructure its contribution to ISO when its exports shrinked, he recalled.

Vice President of Azcuba, Wilson Morell, referred to Cubaâ�Ös future role in world sugar economy.

He referred to transformations undergone in the past few years and the characteristics of Azcuba, which recently replaced the Ministry of Sugar (MINAZ).

Morell said that 46 sugar mills are taking part in this harvest, 50 cane sugar cane mills are expected to join the harvest next year, 50 will take part in the harvest in 2014 and 52 mills are scheduled to be involved in the harvest of 2015.

He said the production of sugar cane derivatives has grown in this harvest, the industry is currently self-sufficient in energy and the sector is working to achieve a 15-20 percent annual growth in sugar production.

The seminar, attended by experts, importers, businessmen, scholars, executives and representatives of the sugar cane mills, is scheduled to end on Friday after a visit to the Mariel port terminal, in western Cuba.(Prensa Latina)