Some 21,944 hectares (ha) will be planted in the province of Las Tunas as part of the cold sowing season, from September 1 until February 28 next year; that figure entails about 645 more than what was achieved in the same previous period.
Las Tunas, Cuba.- These projections are part of the designed strategy by the authorities of the agricultural sector to increase the areas dedicated to food production, which is palpable throughout the territory, mainly in lands that were heavily infected with marabou.
The largest extension -8,779.4 ha- will be dedicated to the cultivation of root vegetables, a line that is consolidated in the productive poles of the eight municipalities, that have their strongest expression in plantain and cassava, followed by the sweet potato and, in a lesser extent, the taro and yam program.
According to Luis Oro Torres, head of the Department of Various Crops in the Delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture, it is planned to plant 7,121.9 hectares of vegetables, 5,330.1 with grains, and 713.1 with fruit trees.
The availability of important material resources such as fuel, technology, fertilizers, and pesticides is currently not enough. The storage water in the reservoirs is not enough either according to what the peasants and state producers will demand.
Therefore, it is necessary once again to appeal to the generalization of experiences and the practice of agroecological techniques, such as the use of animal traction and the application of organic fertilizers like Ecomic, which is already produced in Las Tunas.
In the opinion of the specialists, this stage is decisive for the development of various crops because higher yields are obtained, and some of the vegetables that are consumed in the final days of the year are harvested, as well as a significant amount destined for the industry.
The recently concluded spring planting season was accomplished at 101 percent, with 21,803.9 hectares. Although the prices of the different products are still very high, a greater presence of various agricultural products is evident in the sales points.
