The Base Business Unit Cría Lindero, part of the Porcino Artemisa Company, has started to recover its production after months of collaboration with the medium-sized private company Don Pereda, in a partnership that aims to become the first of its kind in Cuba within the pork sector, reported the official newspaper El artemiseño this Sunday.
At the beginning of the year, the farm was facing a critical situation. Dozens of sows had died, many of them pregnant, while the boars were in poor condition and the animals spent days without water due to the breakdown of the pump that supplied the facilities.
The lack of food and adequate sanitary conditions also threatened to cause outbreaks of scabies and diarrhea. Veterinarian Isleydis Álvarez García described this situation as one that pointed towards a complete shutdown of the unit.
The issues of food supply and access to water were compounded by the structural damage caused by Hurricane Rafael in November 2024. Several buildings had lost their roofs and remained unrepaired due to a lack of resources.
Due to the deterioration of the facility, the management of the state-owned company sought an alternative through the economic transformations that promote links between public entities and private actors. Since February, Don Pereda, led by Yoicel Pereda Milián, has been involved in the recovery of Cría Lindero, highlighted the media outlet.
The private company repaired the water pump, installed hoses to supply the buildings, and fixed some of the structures damaged by the hurricane. They also replaced perimeter fences, improved lighting with a focus on solar energy, and undertook cleaning and maintenance tasks.
Another fundamental contribution is the supply of almost two tons of feed per day, which ensures that the animals are fed twice a day. According to the workers, mortality has ceased and the birth rates have started to improve.
The 27 workers in the unit continue to receive a state salary of about 4,000 pesos per month on average, although their working conditions have improved with the involvement of the private partner.
Don Pereda covers the food expenses during the workday and ensures the transportation of the staff in an electric tricycle. Employees also receive about 10 pounds of free pork periodically, the source highlighted.
The experience is presented as an alternative to restore pig production through cooperation between the state and private sectors. However, the very need to resort to private capital to repair infrastructure, ensure water supply, and finance animal feed highlights the challenges that the state farm faced in maintaining its operations.
Official data confirms that pork production in Cuba dropped by 95.2% between 2017 and 2023, which the economist Pedro Monreal referred to as a "national disaster."
By 2024, the country was producing only about 9,000 tons of pork compared to over 200,000 in 2018. Last August, the price of pork reached 1,400 pesos per pound in the informal market, while the average official salary hovers around 7,074 pesos per month.
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