Hurricane Rafael devastates Cuban agriculture, impacting food supplies

Hurricane Rafael has caused severe agricultural losses in Cuba's Artemisa and Mayabeque provinces, critical food suppliers for Havana. According to Yohan García Rodas, General Director of Agriculture, the hurricane devastated 9,000 hectares of banana plantations in Artemisa, an essential local food source, and damaged 3,800 hectares of cassava in Mayabeque. Visual evidence on social media highlights the widespread destruction from Rafael's winds and rain.

Prior to the hurricane, these regions were advancing in their cold-season agricultural campaign, with over 9,500 hectares planted. However, Rafael’s aftermath has disrupted this progress, especially affecting more than 1,000 hectares of vegetables intended for year-end consumption in Havana, along with extensive damage to local greenhouses.

In response, Cuban authorities are revising their agricultural strategies, focusing on fast-growing crops to offset the losses and prioritizing the upcoming potato campaign to stabilize food supplies. This setback compounds existing issues like food shortages, lack of inputs, and structural weaknesses in the agricultural sector, placing additional strain on the nation’s food production and highlighting the need for swift recovery efforts.

source: cubaheadlines.com

photo: cubainformacion.tv