Don’t Expect to See Cuban Coffee Sold in the US

Despite it being authorized

by Café Fuerte

HAVANA TIMES — The National Bureau of Cuba’s Small Farmers Association (ANAP) – the elite of government officials who represent Cuban farmers–, kicked up a fuss in response to the decision announced by the US Treasury Department on April 22, authorizing independent producers on the island to export coffee to the United States.

According to the communiqué issued by ANAP, “no one can think that a small agricultural producer can export directly to the United States.” That is to say, if ANAP doesn’t think it’s possible, others should not as well.

“To make this possible, Cuban foreign trade companies [State] have to take part in the process and financial transactions in dollars have to be conducted, and this has not yet been secured,” the text drafted by the ANAP leadership says.

Propaganda

Of course, then comes what worries the Cuban government the most and makes this satellite institution express: “We are aware that the aim of these kinds of measures is to steer Cuban farmers away from our State.”

The government, however, wants control [over exports] not only for political reasons. It knows that the increase in coffee prices in the international market was substantial in 2015, bringing renewed interest among coffee growers to improve their plantations. This is why the price paid growers for a 5-gallon can of green Arabica coffee beans went from 50 to 160 pesos and the can of Robusta beans from 40 to 106.

There’s a series of paragraphs and propagandistic phrases in the document that are finger-licking good.

Let us take a closer look at these declarations of “revolutionary honor.”

Patriotic Commitment

“Since then [1959], the Cuban government has implemented a production, economic and social development program for farmers in our country and has guaranteed assistance for production, access to credit, a reliable market for agricultural products and other social benefits.”

“Small Cuban farmers are not afraid of change, provided these are impelled by us.”

“Cuban farmers ratify our fidelity to our revolutionary State, before all risks and challenges, and we will continue to build a prosperous and sustainable form of socialism, for everyone and for everyone’s benefit, fueled by the patriotic commitment of continuing to produce for the people.”

“Next to the workers and our entire people, we are facing up to the intentions of imperialist policy, to bring about division and disintegration in Cuban society, which is what they would seek with the recently announced measure.”

So, there seems to be no deal when it comes to ANAP’s coffee. The decision has already been made by the farmers in the Bureau who live in Havana.