-Caveat Lector-
Cuba Buying Food From North Dakota
By Jim Burns CNSNews.com Senior Staff Writer June 12, 2002 (CNSNews.com) - Senator Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) says
Cuba's food import agency is buying 2,000 metric tons of dried peas from North
Dakota farmers.
Dorgan called the sale a "landmark deal" because it
marked the first time in more than 40 years that North Dakota farm products have
been sold to Cuba.
"We've known for a long while that Cuba has the
potential to become a significant market for North Dakota's agricultural
products," said Dorgan. "For years, I've worked to end the trade embargo against
Cuba and open the market to farmers in North Dakota and throughout the U.S.
"I believe once Cuba sees the high quality of goods
they've purchased, more agricultural sales to Cuba will be made," Dorgan added.
The import agency, Alimport, will buy dried peas
from three North Dakota agricultural firms. Dorgan said a deal to sell black
beans and pinto beans to Cuba will be announced soon.
The latest deal follows the State Department's
recent refusal to let Cuban trade officials travel to the United States on a
food-buying mission.
"Congress wants these sales to go forward," Dorgan
said. "I remain dissatisfied with the State Department's explanation of why it
continues to block" Cuban agents from coming to the U.S.
In April, the State Department denied visas to
several officials of Alimport, the Cuban food import agency, who were invited
here by U.S. agribusiness officials interested in selling more of their products
to Cuba.
The State Department gave no reason for the
rejection, citing precedent instead.
While U.S. law permits food and medicine sales to
Cuba, they must be paid for in cash rather than financed, something that
irritates cash-strapped Cuban officials.
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