Government of Cuba takes measures to use decrepit chickens and guts of pigs and cows

The Cuban government is organizing a program to develop animal species that will be used for food production, among which are decrepit chickens.

Santiago Sobrino Martínez, Minister of the Food Industry, explained in the television Round Table this Wednesday that the agriculture sector is in charge of a new plan to produce Cuban MDM, which he defined as a meat raw material, of which The country imports large volumes and spends large sums of foreign currency.

"This is a program for other species, for small livestock: ducks, rabbits... Agriculture had a plant that is recovering, and to the extent that this progresses we could produce more food and save on import substitution," he said.

Although the official did not talk about chickens, in an image transmitted to viewers that animal is mentioned within the aforementioned program.

According to poultry terminology, birds that due to their advanced age have reduced their egg production are called “decrepit”. In Cuba, the meat from these chickens would be ground to make the MDM meat dough.

The publication began to generate memes and ridicule on social networks.

For his part, the head of agriculture also referred with satisfaction to the fact that the food industry has managed to recover two million meters of beef and pork intestines – of which only 18 percent is used – for the production of croquettes. .

“That is not from poor countries, that is an exploitation of developed countries,” he assured.

He also explained that 90 percent of the blood from the slaughter of the network and cattle is used, with which a range of products is manufactured that, in his opinion, are “of great satisfaction” for the citizens.

“This is not an idle thing to do, this food with little pork and little cow, and it gives much more food. There is a culture in Cuba of consuming that, excellent products are made, imports are replaced,” he stressed.

According to the official, obtaining all these by-products "has made it possible to produce 26,000 tons of croquettes in the meat industry and more than 17,000 in the fishing industry."

Despite their enthusiasm, the croquettes sold in the network of state stores stand out for their low quality and if the people buy them it is basically because they do not have access to other products.

During the last few months, when the food shortage has worsened to the point that people have had to sleep on the street so that the next day they can be among the first in line at the store and be able to enter, the government has sold modules of 20 croquettes per family to try to alleviate the shortage.

But what could have been at least a partial solution, has in many cases been a source of further disappointment.

Last May, a family from Santiago de Cuba complained about the state of the only six croquettes they were sold at the butcher shop, which described as “hard as a rock”.

On the other hand, several complaints from consumers were published on social networks who have warned that when frying the croquettes they can explode.

Raúl Rodríguez, a Facebook user, reported that A friend of his suffered burns to his face and eyes..

“Luckily the doctors say that everything is better in the eyes now. Alert gentlemen. Attention sellers. I make it public so that everyone who can can find out, but especially those who are responsible for preparing the food,” he explained.

“I heard about something similar years ago. It will be necessary to see if any material for its manufacture is causing this reaction. Alert producers. They were croquettes purchased legally,” he added.