Tania Quintero, Cuba Press
HAVANA, April 18 - The scarcity of agricultural chemicals that has plagued the Cuban economy for the last ten years may mean that some agricultural regions in the island could obtain certification to grow organic fruits and vegetables.
A German delegation recently visited Guantánamo province, in eastern Cuba, and verified that the appropriate conditions exist to grow organic produce for export. This mountainous area could produce 800 metric tons of oranges and 1,000 metric tons of grapefruit in the municipalities of
Baracoa, Maisí and Yateras. According to local authorities, no fertilizers or chemical agents have been used on the fruit in the last ten years.
So far, there is no widespread agreement on what exactly "organic" means, nor a widely recognized agency that certifies produce as organic. Several organizations, however, certify produce as organic according to their own propietary standards. All of these, to some extent or other,
call for produce grown with natural fertilizers and pest control methods, as opposed to chemical ones, and more importantly, in land that has been free of chemicals for a number of years.
In spite of the lack of clear standards, a considerable number of consumers are willing to pay premium prices for produce labeled organic, especially in Europe and North America.
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