The provincial government of Villa Clara has called on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in its territory to join the Booster Program, an export acceleration initiative aimed at opening markets in Europe and North America for Cuban products such as coffee, honey, and processed fruits.
The call was made by the Directorate of Foreign Trade, Foreign Investment, and Cooperation of the province, which reminded local SMEs of the possibility to apply for the program before the application deadline, set for August 21. The provincial broadcaster CMHW reported this on Friday.
The program, lasting between nine and 12 months, operates under two modalities. The Sectoral Booster targets agri-food companies producing coffee, honey, charcoal, and processed fruits with added value, aimed at markets in Mexico, Canada, Germany, Spain, and France.
The Geographic Booster, on the other hand, is aimed at information technology companies, cultural and creative industries, and renewable energy sources, with the same priority markets.
"The aspiration is that the Villa Clara micro, small, and medium enterprises not only export but do so with all the necessary tools and knowledge to compete in the international market," stated Laritza Torres Niebla, director of Foreign Trade, Foreign Investment, and Cooperation of the Provincial Government of Villa Clara.
The selected companies will receive training in technical standards, tariffs, incoterms, market studies, traceability, financing, and quality certifications, as well as individualized advice and access to networks of international distributors and buyers.
The program also funds participation in trade missions and international fairs, and includes follow-up support to ensure the continuity of the export process.
To apply, micro, small, and medium enterprises (mipymes) must demonstrate at least two years of operation, exportable production capacity, economic and financial sustainability, and commitment to an intensive acceleration process.
The selection criteria include efficient use of natural resources and renewable energy, empowerment of women and youth, and practices of a circular economy.
The program is scheduled to begin next October, after six weeks of reviewing applications.
The Booster Program is an initiative funded by the European Union with 14 million euros, as part of the New Economic Actors (NAE) Project, and implemented in conjunction with the United Nations Development Program, French Cooperation in Cuba, and the Ministry of Economy and Planning.
It was officially launched in June by the Chamber of Commerce of Cuba and is set against a backdrop where the Cuban private sector represents only 3.2% of the country's exports, according to data from the end of 2025.
The program emerged in a context where the participation of the Cuban private sector in foreign trade was still very marginal. Data from the Cuban private sector in October 2025 estimated that private management forms accounted for only 3.2% of the country's exports, led by charcoal and IT services.
That scenario began to change timidly. In the first half of 2025, exports from non-state management forms increased by 30%, although they only reached about 21 million dollars from a very low base.
In June, the National Assembly approved reforms that allow private companies to export and import directly with state authorization, eliminating the mandatory intermediation by state companies that had been in place since 2020.
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