The Agroforestry Company of Villa Clara inaugurated La Casa del Forestal this Friday, described as the first store of its kind in Cuba. Its offerings include bags of sawdust with small stoves for cooking and pine roots to light charcoal, products that starkly reflect the level of energy scarcity experienced on the island.
The establishment opened its doors at the headquarters of the entity, at the end of Buen Viaje Street, in front of the Los Pilongos market, in Santa Clara, with the presence of authorities from the Municipal Assembly of the People's Power and the AgroForestry Group of Cuba, as noted by the government portal Soy Villa Clara through its profile on Facebook.
Yadira González Barroso, director of the Agroforestry Company in the province, stated in a previous post on the portal that the establishment does not sell finished carpentry, but rather "a wide range of by-products: coastal wood, board C, construction panels, beams, everything that is not solid wood but can be useful for everyday life."
Among the most eye-catching items are the two-kilogram bags of sawdust for 290 pesos, pine roots at 250 pesos per kilogram, and charcoal at 125 pesos per kilogram, according to one of the shared images.
The store also offers coniferous lumber at 650 pesos per board, construction panels at 3,000 pesos each, and coffee tables at 1,500 pesos, among other products.
The company itself clarified on Facebook that prices "will correspond to the quality of each product and will be backed by cost sheets," and that they will be systematically evaluated to lower them "whenever conditions permit."
The entity acknowledged that "no economic activity can sustain itself while operating at a loss," although it stated that its priority is "to find the balance between the sustainability of production and the benefit of the people."
According to the authorities, the initiative presents an opportunity for the people of Villa Clara to acquire "useful and quality products, and serves as a demonstration that innovation and the effective use of our resources continue to be ways to overcome challenges."
The citizens' reaction was mostly ironic. "One step forward and a billion steps back," wrote one user. Another stated, "We are like sawdust in the 19th century."
Some joked that "only with pine roots will they make a fortune, since there is no fuel to light firewood or charcoal," and there were references to the Taíno chiefs Hatuey and Guama as symbols of a civilizational regression.
Some users, however, acknowledged the practical usefulness of the establishment. "It's a very good option for Cubans who at some point need [wood] for our homes," said one individual. Others called for prices to be affordable "for the working and needy people," and not just for those with more resources.
The opening comes amidst the worst energy crisis in recent Cuban history. Since January, the state-owned CUPET has indefinitely suspended the distribution of liquefied gas in Santiago de Cuba and the eastern provinces.
In the face of that collapse, charcoal became the de facto household fuel for millions of families, although its price soared to between 3,200 and 5,000 pesos per bag in various provinces, compared to an average monthly salary of just 6,930 pesos.
The writer from Holguín José Poveda Cruz described in September the act of lighting charcoal as a metaphor for the country's regression: "First we discovered fire; then we invented progress; and now we are once again learning how to light it."
Related videos:
Filed under: