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Courting Cuba
New trade trip planned
WOWT-TV
Omaha, February 27, 2006.
The state of Nebraska will send a third
trade delegation to Cuba to sell agricultural
commodities to the communist nation.
Governor Dave Heineman said Monday that
Lt. Gov. Rick Sheehy and Nebraska Agriculture
Director Greg Ibach will lead a delegation
on the April 17-20 trip.
The trip follows two visits in August and
November, when nearly $30 million in Nebraska
dry edible beans, wheat and soybean meal
were sold to communist-run island's food
import company, Alimport.
Heineman went on the first two trips.
"Based on recent conversations with
Cuban officials, I believe Nebraska has
a wonderful opportunity to build on the
trading relationship that has already benefited
farmers and ranchers across our great state,"
Heineman said.
Cuba has been under an American trade embargo
for more than four decades, but a law passed
by Congress in 2000 allows American food
to be sold directly to the island on a cash
basis.
Agricultural producers prepared to sell
products in the Cuban market can contact
the Nebraska Department of Agriculture at
(800) 831-0550, and request more details
about participating in the trade mission.
"Unlike most trade missions, the Cubans
come to these meetings prepared to actively
negotiate sales," Ibach said. "Relationships
are less important to them than knowing
that the people they are negotiating with
can see a business deal through to delivery."
For the past four years, Cuba has contracted
to buy more than $1.4 billion in U.S. farm
goods, including shipping and hefty bank
fees to send payments through third nations,
according to Alimport's top official, Pedro
Alvarez.
The great northern beans shipped to Cuba
as part of the first Nebraska trade mission
were the first from the United States since
Fidel Castro came to power in 1959.
Heineman said his decision to stay home
this time was not to avoid potential criticism
for dealing with the communist nation just
before the May 9 gubernatorial primary.
"I just don't want it to be viewed
in the political context," he said.
"This is all about a long-term relationship."
Heineman is vying for the GOP nomination
with Rep. Tom Osborne and Omaha businessman
Dave Nabity.
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