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By Anita Snow, Associated Press Writer.
Yahoo!
November 15, 2002.
HAVANA, 15 (AP) - Cuba agreed to buy some of its food from black American
farmers under a U.S. law that allows direct sales of farm products to the
island, a delegation from a U.S. civil rights group said as it ended a visit
here Friday.
"This is a historic announcement and one that I personally find very
heartening," said Kweisi Mfume, president and chief executive officer of
the National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People. "President Fidel Castro promised to establish trade
links with black farmers and it appears he has kept his word."
The U.S. law passed in 2000 chips away at the trade embargo imposed by the
United States in the early 1960s shortly after Castro came to power.
Since Cuba began to take advantage of the law a year ago, it has purchased
more than US$200 million worth of American food in cash, much of that from
agribusiness giants. Black farmers, most of whom have smaller operations, also
are interested in finding new markets.
The NAACP representatives met twice with Castro during their four-day visit
to the Caribbean island, including a dinner on Thursday evening.
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 sales 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. He also said the
NAACP, the largest and oldest civil rights organization in the United States,
would press large American agricultural businesses already selling food to Cuba
to partner up with black farmers on future deals.
The NAACP arrived in Cuba on Monday for the goodwill and trade mission. | 
