The municipality of Las Tunas has important agricultural potential. However, the desired results have not been achieved yet, despite that "the population is waiting for food," as Manuel Pérez Gallego said, a member of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party (PCC) and its first secretary in the province.
Las Tunas.- Among other reasons, it is due to the lack of fertilizers, nutrients, and chemical pesticides, insufficient fuel for land preparation, the poor quality of local soils, and the limited availability of irrigation systems.
But, there is also a lack of control of the boards of directors of some productive units, evidence of neglect in the search for initiatives to solve the difficulties and activities such as confronting the proliferation of the marabou, for which credits with multiple advantages are granted.
The truth is that in the plantain there is a deficit of 904.1 hectares and 853.1; while in the sweet potatoes are missing 573.2.
Although the per capita of viands, vegetables, grains, and fruits increased to 26.1 in February, what is established in the municipal self-sufficiency program is still not fulfilled: a total of 30 pounds per inhabitant.
In Urban, Suburban, and Family Agriculture, 9.2 square meters per inhabitant are reported; but it is necessary to plant another 15.2 hectares of organic gardens, intensive orchards, semi-protected crops, and technified plots to meet the ten meters established.
The milk production plans for January and February were met. However, this food is still not guaranteed to all patients who require it; only the demand of pregnant women and those suffering from chronic childhood diseases is met, besides that for children from zero to 7 years of age.
Hiring for that line has not yet been completed. Until March 2, four million 696 thousand 795 liters had been agreed, one million 894 thousand were missing due to misunderstandings by various producers and organizational problems of some boards of directors and the Dairy Products Company.
Although much remains to be done, good results are already recorded in some agricultural activities in the municipality of Las Tunas, such as the increase in the area of agricultural use in the productive poles, fundamentally. The plan for the delivery of beef to the industry is also fulfilled, with 101 tons of 82.5 planned.
There are also several attempts to lower the excessive prices of agricultural products. The Calixto Sarduy agricultural production cooperative (CPA), from Becerra, stands out, which sells to the inhabitants of the community at a lesser cost.
The first secretary of the PCC in Las Tunas called on the managers of several production bases to plant more areas and create the conditions for increasing the collection of milk when cows start giving birth.
He also urged them to improve the comprehensive management of livestock, especially concerning the guarantee of food and water, their protection, and the search for pregnancies through direct mating, given the lack of nitrogen for artificial insemination.
