Food Fair in Havana

Photo Feature by Elio Delgado Valdes

HAVANA TIMES — The alternative of food fairs has taken life over the last few weekends in the Cuban capital. The latest one I visited took place on Galiano Street, from Zanja to Neptuno Streets, in Central Havana.

Nowadays one can clearly see the shortages present in the State’s monopoly retail sales network and in many agro markets. Therefore, the farm products sold at these special fairs are seen as an alternative to improve the situation.

One of the reasons people flock to the fairs is because they sell pork at 20 pesos a pound, less than half the price it’s sold for at agro-markets, as well as some fish, soft drinks, cartons of eggs and other household products.

My indiscreet camera caught the moment when a vendor was looking at the scale and multiplying it by 22 on his calculator, altering the fixed price of pork.

Even though food culture for Cubans is linked to eating roast suckling pig, we still hope to find cheap and varied products at these State-run commercial fairs. It’s worth asking ourselves whether these fairs really make up for people’s needs.

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