More than two months after the Cuban government announced the reduction in the size of the basic basket bread, the Minister of Food Industry stated that they do not rule out returning it to its original weight.
Alberto López Díaz spoke on Thursday during the Round Table and recalled that the ration had to be reduced from 80 grams to 60 grams due to a shortage of raw materials.
"To ensure the bread in the basket, we need 425 tons of flour daily with this consumption standard; previously, we required 800 tons," he stated.
López Díaz added that the reduction in weight is a result of a lack of funding and ships arriving on time, but that Miguel Díaz-Canel's directive is to "return as quickly as possible to the 80-gram bread."
According to the executive, a ton of wheat ranges from 400 to 500 dollars, depending on the market. There are some markets that are very close to Cuba that it cannot access, which is why it needs to be sourced from farther away; freight costs more, and transportation times increase.
"We need $450,000 daily and over $13 million monthly for daily bread," specified the executive, who boasted that the oil for bread production is 100% guaranteed, "although we have not met the oil requirement in the basket."
Since September 13, the bread in the basic basket weighs only 60 grams, and its price has decreased from one peso to 75 cents.
Anayra Cabrera Martínez, an executive at the Ministry of Food Industry (MINAL), stated that the low availability of wheat flour compelled a reduction in weight, and that this was the only way they could guarantee a daily bread for the population.
However, he clarified that there could be delays, as flour is transported daily to all destinations, which requires significant logistical coordination.
After the implementation of the measure, social media was flooded with criticism from consumers.
"The birthday breads have started," joked Camagüey journalist Jose Luis Tan Estrada on Facebook.
The image gallery included one where the bread was nearly the size of an eye drop bottle. The rest of the photos displayed the weight of various breads, and in none of the cases did they reach the stipulated 60 grams.
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