The Cuban Ministry of Agriculture unveiled Resolution 17/2026 on Tuesday, a directive outlining guidelines and procedures for the trade of agricultural and forestry products for the current year.
Officially enacted on February 2, 2026, the resolution is detailed in Extraordinary Official Gazette No. 61 of 2026, spanning over 17 pages of regulatory content.
According to the official document, the regulation aims to "support the Economic Plan concerning the demand for agricultural and forestry products through a contracting process based on the potential of agricultural and forestry producers, with the goal of increasing supply for all markets."
This regulation impacts both individuals and entities involved in the production, processing, and marketing of agricultural and forestry goods, including tobacco.
The regulated processes range from harvesting, slaughtering, and collection to packaging, preservation, processing, transportation, distribution, storage, and final marketing.
Contracting occurs between the production base and local dairy, meat, and retail companies, with priority given to state orders, municipal food balance, and industry needs.
The resolution defines the production base as a structure made up of agricultural cooperatives, companies, state-owned micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), private and mixed enterprises, landowners, and other producers.
Agricultural cooperatives are tasked with determining productive potential and organizing, controlling, and assessing compliance with the indicators.
Among its specific goals, the resolution seeks to "strengthen the inclusion of new economic actors in the contracting process who engage in productive, transformative, or marketing activities of agricultural and forestry products."
Additionally, the regulation mandates promoting the banking process for all commercial operations, which must be stipulated in the contract as one of the payment methods, aligned with the capabilities of each territory.
Resolution 17/2026 emerges in the context of the end of the Acopio monopoly, announced in April, when the regime issued Decree 143, signed by Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz on December 30, 2025, terminating four decades of exclusive control by this state enterprise over agricultural trade.
However, the regulatory opening is at odds with practical challenges: in April, private company Havana Agro SURL reported obstacles from the Ministry of Agriculture itself, hindering producers' access to agricultural equipment, highlighting the tensions between the announced regulatory changes and the institutional resistance that persists in the sector.
Understanding Cuba's New Agricultural Trade Regulations
What is the purpose of Cuba's Resolution 17/2026?
The resolution aims to support the Economic Plan by regulating the demand for agricultural and forestry products through a contracting process that leverages the potential of producers to increase supply across all markets.
Who is affected by the new regulations?
The regulations impact both individuals and entities involved in the production, processing, and marketing of agricultural and forestry goods, including tobacco.
What challenges have arisen with the implementation of these regulations?
Despite the regulatory changes, private companies like Havana Agro SURL have faced obstacles from the Ministry of Agriculture, which have hindered producers' access to agricultural equipment, revealing ongoing institutional resistance.
How are commercial operations affected by the new regulations?
The regulations require that all commercial operations promote banking processes, which must be included in contracts as a payment method, tailored to the capabilities of each territory.