The El Salvador municipality in Guantánamo province is making strides with a soybean planting initiative intended to supply raw materials to the local dairy industry, as reported by the state-controlled outlet Venceremos on Tuesday.
Currently, the area boasts 15 hectares of soybean crops—10 managed by the state and five by private lessees—with an ambitious goal to expand to 100 hectares by the year's end.
In August, 40 of these hectares will be planted on the farm of producer Jorge Fernández, with the remainder to be sown during the cooler planting season starting in September, confirmed Magalys Luca Padilla, director of the Agroforestry Company El Salvador.
The immediate use of the soybean harvest is for the province's Dairy Products Company to produce yogurt.
Long-Term Goals: Edible Oil Production
The production of edible oil is a long-term objective, contingent on the program's expansion in crop area.
Luca Padilla mentioned that the first sale to the dairy company would be finalized in the coming days, describing it as "an initial step toward reviving such an important and in-demand production."
The official attributed the need for local soybean production to the inability to import the grain, blaming it on the US embargo.
Amid Scarcity, Local Soybean Production Brings Hope
This announcement comes as a "refreshing drizzle" amid a backdrop of severe shortages.
In June, the Minister of the Food Industry, Alberto López Díaz, acknowledged that essential items like oil, chicken, and yogurt had not been distributed through the rationed basket this year.
Moreover, the price of cooking oil has skyrocketed to over 2,500 Cuban pesos per liter in Havana and exceeds 3,000 in some provinces, following the price cap removals dictated by Resolution 150/2026.
Soy yogurt, part of the rationed basket for children aged seven to 13, has faced chronic supply interruptions for years.
The Cuban government admitted it couldn't procure the necessary soybeans in either 2025 or 2026, and a small to medium-sized enterprise had to intervene to support part of the state's yogurt production.
Understanding the Soybean Initiative in Guantánamo
Why is Guantánamo focusing on soybean production?
Guantánamo is focusing on soybean production to supply raw materials to the local dairy industry and eventually produce edible oil, due to challenges in importing soybeans attributed to the US embargo.
What are the immediate and long-term goals of the soybean project?
The immediate goal is to provide soybeans for yogurt production, while the long-term aim is to produce edible oil as the program expands.
How has the scarcity in Cuba affected food distribution?
Severe scarcity has led to the absence of essential items like oil, chicken, and yogurt in the rationed basket, with prices for cooking oil soaring in Havana and other provinces.