While the shortage of meat and milk continues to hit Cuban households and the fields are emptied of cattle, the regime will celebrate the VII Congress on Animal Improvement and Tropical Livestock at the luxurious Meliá Internacional Hotel in Varadero, with discussions on sustainability.
The event, organized by the Center for Research for the Improvement of Animal Husbandry in the Tropical Region (CIMAGT), will take place from March 24 to 26 and will feature panels, workshops, exhibition fairs, and cultural activities, in addition to the first international symposia on genetic resource management and sustainable livestock, as published by Canal Caribe.
The congress is taking place against the backdrop of an unprecedented agricultural crisis, marked by a sustained decline in meat and milk production, and a significant loss of the national herd due to a lack of animal feed, supplies, and state support.
According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Cuba has lost more than 900 thousand heads of cattle since 2019, a decline that reflects the structural deterioration of the sector.
Despite this situation, the meeting will take place in one of the most expensive tourist destinations in the country, which has sparked criticism on social media due to the contrast between the official narrative and the widespread crisis.
The event will also mark the 55th anniversary of the organizing center, but so far there has been no information on whether foreign delegations will participate or if the serious issues of production and food security facing the island will be addressed.
Meanwhile, Cubans continue to face a chronic shortage of protein and exorbitant meat prices in the informal market, while the government prefers to speak about "livestock sustainability" from the air-conditioned lounges of Varadero.
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