Supply notebook.

Photo: Mincin.

Difficulties in the production and timely availability of containers, and of the imported product itself,

have caused delays in the distribution of a group of foods from the regulated family basket, which will be insured in March even if this operation is carried out partially or gradual

, reported an official source.

Consulted by the Cuban News Agency, Francisco Silva Herrera, general director of Merchandise Sales of the Ministry of Domestic Trade (Mincin), pointed out that such effects are

focused on compote, coffee, oil, sugar, chicken and in grains like rice and peas, so not all of them are in the warehouses from this first day.

The financial limitations of the country, the measures of the intensified US blockade that weigh on the diet of the Cuban population, the increase in international prices and the world economic crisis have a daily impact on domestic trade, and prevent compliance with the cycle within each month. sales of basic necessities.

Despite this, and with the efforts of the carriers and their workers, the wholesale companies distribute the share of the family basket corresponding to March, and some pending products since February or January, the manager said.

The latter, for example, happens with the compote whose distribution is outdated due to the lack of containers, which are already ensured to gradually conclude the first delivery of the year at the beginning of this month, and continue with a second.

Regarding coffee, sugar and grains, he said that there have been difficulties with production and in the case of oil and chicken the delays are

due to the late arrivals of the ships, but he assured that they will reach the population although not in all cases since the beginning of the month.

Silva Herrera specified that intense work is being done so as soon as possible to place in the warehouses and other units the rice and peas from the March quota, and in parallel in several territories the additional pound of rice that since February has been given free of charge to the population, from a donation.

Sugar is distributed and the four pounds per capita of the quota is guaranteed, February oil is expected to be in the retail units in this first week

, and in the case of coffee that month is completed, which should take a few days while its production already ensures the continuity of the sales cycles, said the official.

He informed that a food module, also free, is distributed to all the family nuclei in the province of Santiago de Cuba, an operation that will begin in Holguín and Guantánamo.

The manager pointed out that the distribution of food modules to some 195,000 families in vulnerable situations -identified by the provincial Labor and Social Security directorates- already pregnant, is quite advanced, and when this first delivery is completed the second will begin.

Regarding fresh milk, the general director of Merchandise Sales of the Mincin stressed that the one for the first decade of March that children and pregnant women receive is assured, after the collection from Matanzas to Las Tunas is assumed by the Agriculture entities.

(With information from ACN)