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November 16, 2002
HAVANA -- Cuba agreed to buy food from black American farmers under a U.S. law that allows direct sales of farm products to the island, an NAACP delegation said Friday.
The U.S. law passed in 2000 chips away at the U.S. embargo imposed in the early 1960s. Since Cuba started taking advantage of the law a year ago, it has purchased more than $200-million worth of American food in cash, much of it from large agribusiness corporations. Black farmers, most of whom have small operations, also are interested in finding new markets.
"This is a historic announcement and one that I personally find very heartening," said Kweisi Mfume, head of the NAACP. "President Fidel Castro promised to establish trade links with black farmers and it appears he has kept his word."
Mfume and John Boyd, president of the National Black Farmers Association, announced the understanding on future food sales after meeting with Pedro Alvarez, director of Cuba's food import company. No specific deals were announced.
"On behalf of 12,000 full-time and 7,000 part-time black farmers, we certainly appreciate the opportunity to do business in Cuba," Boyd said.
The black farmers and Cuban officials will later work on specific agreements for sales of food such as chicken, rice and flour, Mfume said.