The wheat flour crisis in Cuba is not new, but in the province of Artemisa, it is experienced with particular severity: rationed bread is sold only on alternate days and with “innovative” mixes of sweet potato, cassava, and pumpkin to stretch the limited available raw materials.
It is a desperate measure in light of the inability to import the minimum amount of flour needed, which has led the state-owned Food and Miscellaneous Enterprises in the region to sign contracts with private sector entities in an attempt to survive, noted a report from the official newspaper El Artemiseño.
According to Osmany de la Paz Acosta, the deputy director of the company, in response to the shortage, bread rationing has been implemented in the 11 municipalities of the province: on even days of the month, it is received by Artemisa, Bauta, Caimito, Guanajay, and Mariel, while on odd days, Bahía Honda, Alquízar, Candelaria, San Cristóbal, San Antonio de los Baños, and Güira de Melena are included.
He stated that the product is made daily for the residents of the so-called Plan Turquino and for "social consumption," which includes children's circles, school snacks for basic education students, public health institutions such as hospitals, maternity homes, nursing homes, and the blood donation program, as well as sports centers and prisons.
De la Paz referred to the alternative of "cooperative production" with a non-state entity (whose name was not mentioned) that allowed for the importation of 22 tons of flour, in order to produce items that will be sold at Sunday markets, three sales points, and vulnerable neighborhoods, "as directed by the provincial government distribution council."
"The unrestricted sale of 50-gram bread at 30 pesos, 200-gram soft bread at 110 pesos, a 200-gram bag of noodles for 165 pesos, sweet cookies valued at 165 pesos, and salty cookies costing 370 pesos, are offers that will be available to the people of Artemisa starting this Sunday," he noted.
The newspaper collected testimonials from workers at the La Plaza Complex who pack cookies under pressure for salaries around 2,000 pesos per month, and they stated that “if we don’t produce, we don't even earn that, so what we need is to maintain this cooperative production to have the raw materials and produce.”
For their part, the factories La Kari and El Gozo, located in Artemisa and Quiebra Hacha (municipality of Mariel), have reactivated their ovens using imported flour through the mentioned agreements.
According to De la Paz, “in some cases, bakeries have the conditions to prepare the mixture with extenders, such as root vegetable pastes like sweet potato, cassava, and pumpkin,” which is why alternatives are being explored, such as “the purchase of cassava flour from the Cítricos Ceiba Company in Caimito, at a price of 250 pesos per kilogram.”
However, only 21 establishments have the minimum energy capacity (generators) to operate - three in the city of Artemisa - considering that the electrical situation complicates the schedules for production that relies on precise baking hours, noted El Artemiseño.
He highlighted that in one area of the Plaza Complex, a dehydrator—powered by a small solar panel and donated through a collaboration project—serves to dry cassava and turn it into flour.
"With a nearby cooperative, we agreed on the cassava, and we are taking on the rest of the processes. We are currently testing to verify the quality of the drying process, and if we succeed, we will reduce sales costs to the public," assured Yosvany de la Paz, production manager of the entity.
They also produce artisanal ice cream using milk sourced from a local cooperative, which is sold at a Coppelia location in Artemisa. They make 84 kilograms daily (28 tubs of four liters), and thanks to repaired machinery that "we have been rescuing from entities in other municipalities and adapting according to our own labor force and innovation," he stated.
Due to the shortage of flour caused by issues with the import of wheat into the country, since May 9, regulated bread is being provided in the province of Guantánamo only to children aged 0 to 13 years and to social institutions. The measure will remain "temporary, until conditions allow for a return to the usual distribution for the entire population," stated the provincial government.
In this context, the authorities of the easternmost province of Cuba imposed new prices for bread sold by the non-state sector and the one released by the Cuban Bread Company.
A few days ago, the Municipal Administration Council of Cienfuegos officially announced a price increase for the 200-gram bread, a measure that addresses the crisis of raw material shortages such as flour and the costs associated with production and distribution.
The chronic shortage of flour has resulted in the regulated bread from the family basket still not appearing regularly in the stores of Camagüey, as "the low quantities received in the area prevent us from meeting the established deliveries of a high-consumption product," recently acknowledged Luis Camacho, provincial director of the Food Company.
In Mayabeque, bread arrives every four days and with a reduced weight, while power outages worsen the issue, forcing the use of wood-fired ovens.
Meanwhile, in Santiago de Cuba, the production of bread is virtually halted due to a shortage of flour. The mills in the province are inactive and rely on sporadic shipments of flour from Havana, which has necessitated the implementation of a rotating distribution system among municipalities.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Bread Crisis in Cuba
Why is bread being rationed in Artemisa?
The rationing of bread in Artemisa is due to the wheat flour crisis, which has forced authorities to sell it only on alternate days. The scarcity of this raw material prevents the importation of the minimum necessary quantity, leading to the implementation of desperate measures, such as mixing sweet potato, cassava, and pumpkin to stretch the available resources.
How does the lack of flour affect the bread supply in Cuba?
The lack of flour hinders regular bread production in several Cuban provinces, directly impacting the daily diet of the population. Provinces such as Santiago de Cuba, Camagüey, and Cienfuegos have implemented rotating or alternating distribution systems due to the shortage, and in some cases, bread is made with aged flour, affecting its quality.
What alternatives are being implemented in response to the bread crisis in Cuba?
Alternatives such as cooperative production with non-state management are being developed to import flour and create products for fairs and vulnerable neighborhoods. Additionally, some bakeries are using extenders like cassava to compensate for the lack of wheat flour. In Matanzas, croquettes and fried plantains are offered as substitutes for bread.
What measures is the government taking in response to the bread crisis in Cuba?
The Cuban government has implemented rationing measures and alternative production to tackle the bread crisis. However, these measures have been insufficient to resolve the issue, leading to criticism and outrage among the population. Authorities have prioritized the delivery of bread to vulnerable sectors and have attempted to ensure distribution through rotating systems and cooperatives.
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