By: Radio Angulo

Cuba, on its path toward food sovereignty, will expand its rice-growing areas with the planting of 200,000 hectares of the crop next year. The agricultural sources in the archipelago reported today.

The president of the Agricultural Group of the Ministry of Agriculture, Orlando Linares, reported in Mayari, a municipality in the eastern province of Holguin. This is a major undertaking, as mandated by the country’s top leadership, according to Granma, a national print newspaper.

Therefore, the executive specified, the available water for the program’s implementation in 14 provinces, 133 municipalities, and 23,000 producers will be determined next November.

Large companies and specialized centers in the territories of Pinar del Rio, Villa Clara, Sancti Spiritus, Camagüey, and Granma will plant half of the planned hectares. While the remainder will be planted with so-called popular rice.

Moreover Linares explained to executives and agricultural producers that the planting will be supported by domestic sedes. Also while the Vietnamese side, which will participate in the program, will contribute its own seeds.

He also reported on fuel supplies, cash payments to specialized producers to stimulate industry stockpiling. The return of foreign currency sales financing to tourism and other sectors.

The goal is to assist the rice program under current conditions in the acquisition of tires, parts, accessories, industrial inputs, and other resources. Meanwhile, they are recovering resources and aircraft for agricultural services and promoting the use of drones.

In 2024, rice production in Cuba halted its decline. Although it reached 30 percent of what it achieved in 2018. According to the source, six years ago, 304,000 tons of rice were harvested, approximately half of the demand in Cuba.

Published Date: October 16, 2025