Cuba asks WFP for help due to lack of milk for children

He Cuban government requested help for the first time through an official communication to the administration World Food Program (WFP) given the country’s difficulties in being able to continue supplying milk to children under the age of seven.

As the WFP confirmed to EFE, the executive management of this branch of the United Nations, which defines itself as “the largest humanitarian organization in the world”, has received official communication from the Government of Cuba and has already sends powdered milk to the island.

“We confirm that WFP has received an official communication from the (Cuban) government requesting support for the continuation of the monthly delivery of one kilogram of milk for girls and boys under the age of seven throughout the country,” the WFP delegation stated in a letter to Otok.

The UN program, which speaks of an “urgent need”, emphasizes the “importance of this request”, especially in the context of the “deep economic crisis that Cuba is facing”, something that “significantly affects the food and food security of the population”. countries.

The Cuban government has not announced the request or the first multilateral contributions, despite the fact that the issue has been discussed for weeks. EFE asked for clarification, but so far has not received an answer.

Letter to the Executive Board

The multilateral organization also confirmed that “this is the first time that Cuba has requested support by issuing an official communication at the highest level of WFP management,” although the program has had several projects on the island for some time.

As EFE was able to confirm from two sources familiar with the request, Ministry of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investments (Mincex) he sent a letter to the WFP executive in Rome at the end of last year.

As a result of that letter, WFP indicated that it was able to deliver “144 metric tons of skimmed milk powder” this February, of which nearly 48,000 girls and boys between seven months and three years in Pinar del Río and Havana”. This represents only 6% of minors to whom the Government intends to provide subsidized milk.

Furthermore, according to the WFP, Cuba’s request “does not refer to any explicit time frame” – it does not ask for support for a limited period of time – so the multilateral organization seeks to “mobilize additional resources”.

“We are in constant dialogue with traditional and non-traditional donors, exploring different opportunities that facilitate both donations and financing,” WFP said.

EFE was able to confirm that WFP contacted at least two countries, one in Europe and the other in America. Both are currently analyzing their options and have not made a decision yet.

A scarce resource

Milk has been a rare commodity in Cuba for yearsalthough in general children up to seven years of age (and people with special diets) could count on a monthly amount of milk powder through a ration card, so they received it at a highly subsidized price (2.5 pesos per kilogram, about 21 cents). ).

However, the availability of milk from government sources has worsened in recent months. Some provinces have reduced priority populations or the amounts they supply, while others have started distributing vitamin drinks as a substitute.

Minister of Internal Trade, Betsy Diaz Velazquezassured in mid-February that the domestic production of milk is insufficient and that there are problems with importing the necessary, so the state cannot meet the needs for “more than 2,000 tons” of milk per month for children up to seven years old. people on a special diet.

Crisis

Faced with these difficulties, it is possible to find liquid milk and milk powder in Cuba from some companies in the country’s emerging private sector, but at prices that are unaffordable for the vast majority of Cubans. A kilogram of milk powder can cost between 1500 and 2000 pesos, when the average monthly salary is 4200 pesos.

Cuba’s chronic economic difficulties turned into a serious crisis three years ago due to the pandemic, the tightening of US sanctions and decisions in national macroeconomic, trade and monetary policy.

The situation is particularly pronounced in the shortage of basic products (food, fuel and medicines). Cuba imports 80% of what it consumes and has serious problems in obtaining the foreign currency he needs to import goods.

In recent months, many of the products that are still included in the supply book, such as rice, coffee or oil, delivered irregularly or in reduced quantities. Long queues around warehouses that distribute subsidized products are constant.

Recently, the Cuban government admitted that due to problems with the supply of flour, it was unable to provide bread through the ration card in February and March.