During 2016, Ciego de Avila produced 55,856 tons of tropical fruit. That was 9% more than expected, which confirmed their productive potential.
The volume harvested exceeded expectations by nearly six thousand tons, mainly of coconut, pineapple, avocado, guava, and especially of mango and papaya, which contributed the most, said engineer Pedro Diaz Gonzalez, an agricultural specialist.
Even though the guava was affected by a prolonged drought, the small factories in the municipalities of Ciro Redondo, Ciego de Avila, and Moron produced six million guava bars for Ciego de Avila and other provinces.
The Agroindustrial Ceballos company (EAC) made millions of pesos in income with this exquisite and coveted sweet, which is sold at eight pesos per unit.
Ciego de Avila's citrus activity also improved last year. The citrus sector only harvested 1,523 tons of oranges and lemons, a volume that is well below demand, due to the devastation caused by the Huanglongbin disease on these plantations several years ago.
Currently, the province has more than eight thousand hectares of fruit, including the producers and state sectors. There are prospects of increasing plantations in fertile lands with enough work force.
Approximately 90 percent of the area covered belongs to the EAC, which is in charge of helping private growers with technical advice, certified seeds, and inputs.
Experts from the Research Institute in Tropical Fruit Growing support Ciego de Avila's project. Their goal is to provide the scientific and technical expertise to ensure that one of Cuba's main food programs, the agricultural business, is sustainable and competitive.
Source: tvavia.icrt.cu