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The governor of Sancti Spíritus, Dr. Alexis Lorente Jiménez, ordered the agricultural companies in the province to engage in the production of charcoal to expand the supply and curb rising prices, according to a report this Monday by the state broadcaster Radio Sancti Spíritus.
The measure responds to a shortage that has turned coal into a luxury item for thousands of families in Sancti Spíritus, amid blackouts that exceed 20 hours a day in some areas and with liquefied gas virtually inaccessible in the informal market.
José Martínez Hernández, Coordinator of Provincial Government Programs and Objectives for the agricultural sector, explained the strategy: take advantage of the personnel that companies have available —reallocated precisely due to power interruptions— to produce charcoal or collaborate with independent charcoal producers.
"The governor's directive is the possibility, through all the companies that currently have available personnel and are relocating staff due to complex situations with the electricity supply, to encourage them to achieve levels of coal production or seek alternatives to establish a connection among coal producers, most of whom are independent producers," stated Martínez Hernández.
The use of coal is not limited to direct sales to the population. According to the official, children's circles, Family Care System centers, schools, and health units also rely on this fuel for cooking.
However, Martínez Hernández himself acknowledged the obstacles that the measure faces: the charcoal workers are specialists who spend nearly a week monitoring each oven, and the companies lack fuel and transportation to sustain that activity.
"Those who manufacture charcoal today are specialized personnel who know how to build the oven, how to light it, and dedicate almost a week specifically to monitoring it. And today companies face limitations with a group of resources such as fuel and transportation," he admitted.
Independent producers fill that gap by reselling the product, which drives up prices.
In Cabaiguán, the Carpa Roja was selling bags for between 2,000 and 2,200 pesos, but that sale is no longer taking place.
In the informal market in the province, the sack exceeded 4,000 pesos at the end of June, more than half of the official average monthly salary of 6,930 pesos.
The issue is monitored daily by the Provincial Defense Council, but the official was categorical when asked about guarantees for stable supply: "No, we cannot directly affirm the guarantee today."
The paradox is striking: Sancti Spíritus has exporting companies for marabou charcoal—Forestal Integral, Flora y Fauna, and the Agroindustrial Grains South of Jíbaro—that supply markets in Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Portugal.
Cuba exported charcoal worth 61.8 million dollars in 2023, ranking as the ninth largest exporter in the world, while its citizens cannot afford it.
Other provinces have attempted similar responses with varying results. The government of Camagüey set an official price of 1,400 pesos per 20-kilogram bag since June 21, compared to the 3,500-4,000 pesos in the informal market.
Las Tunas, despite having enough marabou to produce between 15,000 and 20,000 tons annually, only reached 16% of its export coal plan in the first five months of the year.
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