cubanew/acn

 ENCRUCIJADA, VILLA CLARA, Cuba, May 13 (ACN) During the first months of 2025, in the municipality of Encrucijada, in the central province of Villa Clara, more than 40 hectares dedicated to rice cultivation were planted and a harvest of nearly 100 tons is expected, as a result of the implementation of modern agricultural techniques and the international collaboration of Vietnamese experts.

Producer Salvador Cardenas Perez, an outstanding member of the Antonio Guiteras Credit and Service Cooperative of the territory, told the Cuban News Agency that the goal is to expand the planted areas and improve the quality of the grain to guarantee both local and national supply.

With more than two and a half decades of experience, the farmer currently manages 32 caballerias, of which 20 are planted and 12 are in the process of preparation, while he plans to increase the area to 450 hectares during the current campaign and continue to position himself as one of the main contributors in the region.

The Emilio Cordova Agroindustrial Grain Company, which processes the rice produced in the territory, gathers more than 1,200 producers distributed in 176 units, confirmed its director, Yanelis Saborido Pérez, who also pointed out the need to optimize the control of the planted areas and to speed up deliveries for social consumption, with the purpose of ensuring an efficient and timely distribution.

One of the main challenges at present is to guarantee water supply for irrigation, she said.

In Encrucijada, boosting rice production, together with strengthening infrastructure and supporting farmers, is essential to meet local demand and promote sustainable growth in the region.

At the end of 2024, Cuba registered a harvest of close to 80,000 tons of rice, a figure that represents only a fraction of national consumption and a significant reduction with respect to previous years.

Published Date: May 14, 2025