Based in the northern municipality of Manatí, the Mártires de Manatí Credit and Service Cooperative (CCS) tries to overcome obstacles and gain time from adversity so as not to decimate productions.
Manatí, Las Tunas: Each member is concerned about his own little piece, the aim is to develop the livestock more and increase the sowing of crops with high yields per plot, remembering the lessons left there by our Commander Fidel Castro Ruz to diversify the products.
"The day has to be better than the day before," reaffirms Rafael Pérez Castro, president of the CCS. With a total area of 3,816 hectares, these farmers are keen on their livestock and now also prioritise diversification of various crops among their actions.
"One of the aspects that we have never abandoned is that, the cooperatives must diversify, they cannot be producers of only one product, because if there is not one thing, you have to live from another, that is why ours has various crops, small livestock, pigs, poultry, rabbits and a strong beekeeping movement.
"Livestock farming is our fundamental activity, to which we dedicate almost all of our areas. To date, from a milk production plan of 137,300 liters, 157,619 have already been achieved, while in the meat, from the 103 agreed to be delivered, we have already reached 104."
Some 140 hectares of 50 farms are used to plant crops. In this section, the plan does not exceed expectations, because of the 88.4 tons agreed, only 84 were reached, so, in the opinion of Perez Castro, it is necessary to further improve these lines that today the country and the province need so much, fundamentally.
On the other hand, the president of the CCS added that "it is expected that the almost 30 tones, including viands, fruit and vegetables ratified for this month will be achieved; of these, some 17 are committed to the State and the remaining will be marketed at the point of sale of the productive base, in order to contribute to the municipal self-supply plan".
The cooperative is part of several international cooperation projects, like the Support for Agricultural Intercooperation (Apocoop), Agricultural and Local Innovation (PIAL) and the World Food Program (WFP), "which have been of great help in marketing the farmers' products.
Apocoop's priorities in this municipality include building a mini-industry to use crop residues to produce excellent varieties of food, and also working on an agricultural market in the city, which will be supplied by the surrounding cooperatives.
