The first secretary of the Communist Party in Las Tunas, Osbel Lorenzo Rodríguez, questioned this week the performance of companies in the sector during a meeting held with their management councils, where he demanded concrete results in light of the insufficient food production.
"Put yourselves in the place of the people, of the grandparents living in nursing homes, of the children in daycare centers, and of the patients in hospitals and other health institutions who receive insufficient food because we are unable to find alternatives to produce more food," stated the leader, quoted on Thursday by the portal Tiempo 21 of the provincial broadcaster Radio Victoria.
The evaluation presented during the meeting revealed that, with the exception of Intalsur, all entities in the system are failing to meet their production and economic plans and are accumulating million-dollar losses, without managing to reverse a situation that impacts food availability.
The meat and dairy industries attributed some of their difficulties to the failures of agriculture in supplying raw materials, particularly meat and milk. Both entities are exploring partnerships with non-state economic actors to expand their productions and take advantage of capabilities that remain underutilized.
For its part, the Provincial Integrated Company of the Food Industry barely utilizes 25% of its installed capacity in its mini-industries. The entity also exhibits shortcomings in overseeing some private actors who produce goods cooperatively in their bakeries.
The Beverage and Soft Drink Company is facing issues with the supply of alcohol and other raw materials contracted with the sugar sector. Technological obsolescence and frequent equipment breakdowns exacerbate production limitations, although the company has reserves to increase and diversify its product offerings.
The situation of the Fishing Company also raises concern. The entity fails to meet its capture plans on the platform and in aquaculture production, despite having financing mechanisms that ensure fuel and other resources. It has also been unable to secure viable business deals with foreign investors or local economic actors that could help improve its results.
In contrast, Intalsur was presented as the benchmark of the system due to its alliances with the private sector and the pursuit of productive alternatives. The company, a subsidiary of the Provincial Integrated Company, stands out as an exception in a landscape marked by the failures of the other entities.
During the meeting, Lorenzo urged the executives to seize the opportunities presented by the 176 economic and social transformations approved in the country, establish productive linkages, and seek viable businesses, while remaining mindful of the impact of prices on the population.
"Nobody is authorized to violate the plans," the leader warned, emphasizing the need to transform the situation with concrete results.
The official assessment itself highlighted the gap between the demands of the authorities and the ability of state-owned enterprises to ensure sufficient food production.
What makes the admission of the party leader more striking is that it is not a new diagnosis. In April 2025, Lorenzo had already reprimanded state officials with the same phrase —"people don't eat explanations"— in response to an identical scenario of scarcity. The repetition of this message a year and a half later indicates that the situation has not improved.
The deterioration has specific figures in the province. The biweekly agro-commercial fair in Las Tunas was labeled in July as "the fair of misery", with eggs priced at 2,600 pesos per carton and plantains at 40 pesos each, impossible prices to manage with a minimum pension of 4,000 pesos per month.
In August, a retiree from Manatí reported eggs costing 135 pesos each, nearly equivalent to her monthly pension of 4,478 pesos after over 30 years of work.
In that same month, the government reopened a state-run restaurant in Las Tunas with photographs of empty tables, while local residents complained on social media about the lack of supply, water, and electricity. Ironically, in this context, the authorities launched a crackdown on the private sector that led to the closure of 22 establishments, the withdrawal of eight licenses, and fines exceeding 1.2 million pesos in about a week.
Related videos:
Filed under: