The Agroforestry Company of Villa Clara announced the return of the bags of pine wood, known as pinotea, to the state store La Casa del Forestal in the city of Santa Clara, where they are sold for 250 pesos to light charcoal.
The establishment, located across from the Buen Viaje market, promoted the bags as "ideal for achieving a quick, easy, and safe ignition" and described them as "in high demand," according to a post on Facebook shared this Friday.
The demand for these natural lighters arises amidst the energy crisis that Cuba is experiencing, characterized by a shortage of liquefied gas and prolonged blackouts, which has forced many families to turn to charcoal for cooking.
The state offer of pinotea at 250 pesos was met with relief by some users, although complaints also arose regarding the quality of similar products sold privately. One person claimed that a vendor was selling bags for 300 pesos at the Escambray distribution fair and that "they hardly ignite at all."
Another user appreciated the information because she had been searching for pine resin to light the charcoal for days. However, the ability to purchase the product at La Casa del Forestal remains limited to those who can visit the establishment in Santa Clara.
Several users requested that the offers extend to other municipalities, pointing out that "there is no easy way to travel." Others questioned the continuity of supply and recalled the promises made during the store's inauguration at the beginning of October.
"Where are you, ma'am, who said you would keep the shelf full of products with dedication and that it wasn't just for the opening day photo?" asked a commentator.
Irony also characterized the reactions to the publication. While one user sarcastically celebrated that "Cuba is advancing," another summed up their perception of the situation with a brief phrase: "It's the concept of the same misery."
La Casa del Forestal opened its doors on October 9th as the first store of its kind in Cuba specialized in forest by-products. In addition to the pinotea bags, its catalog includes sawdust, fogoncitos, pine roots, and wood trimmings at 20 pesos per kilogram, sawn timber at 650 pesos, and stools at 2,000 pesos.
Since January, the state-owned company Cupet suspended the distribution of gas in the eastern provinces. By the end of September, the sales had come to a standstill nationwide due to depleted stocks.
The lack of alternatives has driven up the cost of domestic fuel. In the informal market, a bag of charcoal has reached prices of between 3,200 and 5,000 pesos in different provinces. The latter figure greatly exceeds the monthly minimum wage of 3,210 pesos and represents over 70% of the official average salary of 6,930 pesos.
The Food Monitor Program estimated that 35% of the Cuban population had turned to charcoal or firewood for cooking due to the lack of electricity and gas.
In September, the writer from Holguín José Poveda Cruz summarized the paradox of having to resort once again to basic cooking methods amid the Cuban crisis.
“First we discovered fire; then we invented progress; and now we are learning once again how to ignite it,” he wrote.
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