- Title: Cuba begins exports to U.S. with charcoal
- Date: 26th January 2017
- Summary: MATANZAS, CUBA (JANUARY 24, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CUBAN CHARCOAL WORKER RAKING THROUGH BURNED LOGS BURNED LOGS VARIOUS OF CUBAN CHARCOAL WORKER PICKING THROUGH AND BAGGING BURNED LOGS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) OFFICIAL FROM THE BUSINESS GROUP OF AGRICULTURE AND MOUNTAINS FROM THE CUBAN MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, WILFREDO ARREGUI, SAYING: "To export charcoal to the United States, it is one more business opportunity that we have as a business group. Today it was not decided, a small exportation was made, but well, it is a neighbour. As a neighbour, after all, we intend to have the best relations with all neighbours, with all countries of the world, right? But undoubtedly it is nearby market. It must be a high consumer of this product and if exports to the U.S. increase for us, it is good for us." MAN SHOVELING CHARCOAL FLAME AT TOP OF MOUND OF DIRT WHICH SERVES AS A CHARCOAL "OVEN" MAN USING SHOVEL TO THROW EARTH TOWARDS CHARCOAL "OVEN" MAN POKING FIRE MAN CLOSING CHARCOAL "OVEN" BY PUTTING STRAW ON TOP (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CUBAN CHARCOAL WORKER, ROLANDO RODRIGUEZ, SAYING: "As charcoal was exported, the salary got better, we could get things we didn't have before, which we now have. It facilitated things in our circle of life, in our houses, with our children, with the family, things have improved a lot." VARIOUS OF RODRIGUEZ LAYING DOWN TRUNKS OF MARABU CHARCOAL WORKER TENDING TO "OVEN" (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) OFFICIAL FROM THE BUSINESS GROUP OF AGRICULTURE AND MOUNTAINS FROM THE CUBAN MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, WILFREDO ARREGUI, SAYING: "We continue to produce, independently of how the politics in the United States develop. There are declarations: Obama took a series of measure which in the end, yes lots of measure which were not made concrete, such as the measures to remove the embargo, all the elements which we know are still matters of tension. Now Trump is in power and we have to wait and see how things develop. Trump set out a form of politics, a line of work in his speech, and we have to wait as he carries what he says he will, and see how it develops. We, as a neighbor country, are always hoping to develop relations, as policy develops." MAN WORKING AT CHARCOAL "OVEN" SMOKE RISING OUT OF CHARCOAL "OVEN" MAN POKING "OVEN" WORKERS CARRYING SACKS OF CHARCOAL IN THE WAREHOUSE
- Embargoed: 9th February 2017 16:30
- Keywords: Cuba exports coal charcoal
- Location: MATANZAS, CUBA
- City: MATANZAS, CUBA
- Country: Cuba
- Topics: Economic Events
- Reuters ID: LVA00160PXMBN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Cuba looks to increase its charcoal exports to the United States - the first product exported by the Caribbean island to the former Cold War foe in over five decades - as the nations uphold a fragile rapprochement.
Cuba exported its first load to the United States on Thursday (January 19), the eve of U.S. President Donald Trump's inauguration, in what was - totaling a sale of some 17,000 U.S. dollars - largely symbolic.
The sale of 40 tonnes of charcoal derived from the woody plant marabu comes at a time when the two-year U.S.-Cuban detente looks under threat, as Trump threatens to row back on the normalisation of U.S.-Cuba relations unless he gets a "better deal".
An official from the Business Group of Agriculture and Mountains from the Cuban Ministry of Agriculture, Wilfredo Arregui, said he hoped to maintain improving relations and develop trade.
"To export charcoal to the United States, it is one more business opportunity that we have as a business group. Today it was not decided [meaning it wasn't decided how much charcoal could be exported], a small exportation was made, but well, it is a neighbour. As a neighbour, after all, we intend to have the best relations with all neighbours, with all countries of the world, right? But undoubtedly it is nearby market. It must be a high consumer of this product and if exports to the U.S. increase for us, it is good for us," said Arregui.
Cuba exports up to 80,000 tonnes of charcoal per year to about six different countries and was also seeking to sell it to Great Britain and Germany, Cubadebate said.
Coabana Trading will pay $420 US per tonne, above the usual market price of $340 to $380 per tonne for Cuban charcoal, Cubadebate quoted Isabel O'Reilly, the director of state exporter Cubaexport, as saying.
Under the charcoal deal, private cooperatives will deliver the product to a local packager which will sell it on to state-run export firm CubaExpo, which in turn will deal directly with U.S. company Coabana Trading LLC.
According to Cuban charcoal worker, Rolando Rodriguez, life has improved for people like him as exports have increased.
"As charcoal was exported, the salary got better, we could get things we didn't have before, which we now have. It facilitated things in our circle of life, in our houses, with our children, with the family, things have improved a lot," said Rodriguez.
While a damaging U.S. trade embargo on Cuba remains in place, outgoing President Barack Obama has facilitated some commercial links with executive orders.
Obama's administration eased restrictions on imports of goods and services from private Cuban entrepreneurs in early 2015. It was unclear, however, how this would work in practice given that individuals cannot independently import and export products or services under Cuban law.
"We continue to produce, independently of how the politics in the United States develop. There are declarations: Obama took a series of measure which in the end, yes lots of measure which were not made concrete, such as the measures to remove the embargo, all the elements which we know are still matters of tension. Now Trump is in power and we have to wait and see how things develop. Trump set out a form of politics, a line of work in his speech, and we have to wait as he carries what he says he will, and see how it develops. We, as a neighbor country, are always hoping to develop relations, as policy develops," said Arregui.
Cuba and the Obama administration have been scrambling to deepen and cement their detente, through bilateral agreements and commercial links, since Trump's election in November.
Increased trade with the United States would be welcome news for the beleaguered Cuban economy, which fell into a recession last year in the wake of the political and economic crisis in its strategic ally Venezuela. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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