Too many debts and challenges in matters of administrative management, control of processes, and compliance with the policies of a sector that decides most of the socio-economic activity of this territory came to light in a check carried out by the highest leadership of the Cuban Communist Party and the Government in the province to productive forms, markets and small squares of the main municipality, as part of new methods and styles of work that are being implemented.
More than 10 production forms, whose main activity is livestock farming, and five milk transport routes were visited. In the vast majority of places, it was found that very little has been done to give this sector the priority it deserves.
The analysis summarized the persistent problems and negative indicators. In addition, it gave its share of responsibility to each party involved, from the Delegation itself and its specialists to the business entities that interact in the municipality and the boards of directors of the cooperatives, in which the largest percentage of the organization of work at the grassroots falls.
Walter Simón Noris, first secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, strongly questioned the boards and managers of the sector in general for not managing the activity efficiently, because some of them did not even know the total production plans and did not demand that the members fulfill their missions or provide them with the necessary support. A clear example of the prevailing paternalism and lack of control is that the Dairy Products Company must supply milk to a community in which there are cattle owners.
Pending and reiterative issues are the diversion of production, the absence of technical documentation of the cattle in the cowsheds, poor handling of the dough, non-functioning thermos flasks, lack of control in the delivery of milk, units with less than 50 percent of the cows in milking and many of them with more than six months without gestation (empty cows); as well as contracts that do not correspond to the real potential and workers without receiving their salary for two months due to the resistance of some managers and users to implement electronic payment.
The poor care of the herd is one of the main concerns that were reflected, as many of the animals are in poor condition, because of the scarce availability of water and food, and the meager use of the land given in usufruct. Marabou and other woody plants grow in the fields instead of grasses and fodder. This, together with poor grazing, increases the likelihood of theft and slaughter crimes, whose figures are alarming.
The monitoring actions in marketplaces in the capital city also revealed many shortcomings in matters widely discussed, demonstrating that the agricultural management and marketing program requires greater attention from Agriculture and the Council of the Municipality's Administration.
Among the inadequacies pointed out were the absence of price lists and QR codes for electronic payment, outdated information boards, lack of training of shop assistants, closed markets, and the presence of competitors in spaces where the supply should come from the cooperative responsible for the place.
According to Simón Noris, it is evident that the approved local agri-food strategies are not being implemented efficiently and that the responsible cadres are not at the foot of the furrow controlling the fulfillment of the plans and the destination of the produce. As a result, food is diverted to private outlets where it is sold at scandalous prices.
The analysis carried out with all those involved in the issue made it clear that the answer lies not only in increasing productivity. In addition to making intensive use of the arable land and resources at our disposal, more support and monitoring of the performance of the main actors - the farmers - is required, as well as the urgent solution of organizational problems in the marketing mechanisms.
