Cuba receives another shipment of Vietnamese rice while its domestic production fails to cover even a tenth of annual consumption

An open sack exposes long-grain rice inside a warehouse surrounded by other stacked sacks. (Infobae Illustrative Image)The Vietnamese company AgriVMA delivered 1,500 tons of rice to a Cuban agricultural company, as part of the cooperation agreements that have allowed the shipment of four similar batches of the cereal to the island during this year, according to the state newspaper Cubadebate. The shipment corresponds to the CT16 variety and was destined for the Los Palacios agricultural company, in the province of Pinar del Río, in the west of the country. The delivery is part of a bilateral program between the ministries of Agriculture and Environment of Cuba and Vietnam, according to a publication by the state newspaper Cubadebate. Rice occupies a central place in the diet of Cubans and its scarcity has become one of the recurring supply problems on the island. Official figures indicate that Cuba needs around 700,000 tons annually to cover domestic consumption, while national production reached about 80,000 tons in 2024. The volume is equivalent to about 11% of the country's estimated needs. Cooperation with Vietnam includes direct rice production, the supply of inputs, and the incorporation of technology in Cuban agricultural areas. In January 2025, AgriVMA received land in Los Palacios to develop rice crops and coordinate pilot models alongside local producers. Workers collect rice seedlings to transplant them to another field in Los Palacios, Cuba, on Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramón Espinosa)The Vietnamese firm took on tasks ranging from planning the plantings to providing technical assistance in the fields. The model provides for comprehensive management of the cultivated areas, with the provision of seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and machinery for the agricultural operations linked to the project. According to the data released this Wednesday, the area under cultivation by AgriVMA went from 1,000 to more than 2,500 hectares. The production areas are located in Pinar del Río, Granma, Sancti Spíritus, and Villa Clara, four provinces with a historical presence of rice crops. The expansion coincides with the efforts of the Cuban authorities to increase a local production that is not enough to meet the demand of the population. The average per capita consumption in the country is around 60 kilograms of rice per year, a level that forces sustained imports to be maintained. In addition to its participation in the crops, AgriVMA installed a rice processing plant in the municipality of San Cristóbal, in the province of Artemisa. The facility uses Vietnamese technology and production lines, according to information gathered by Cubadebate. FILE PHOTO: Milled rice before being distributed to exporters at a rice mill. REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa/File photoThe plant was presented as the first in the country with that type of equipment from Vietnam. Its start-up seeks to complete the production chain, from planting and harvesting to the processing of the grain intended for consumption. The agreements between the two countries also include the commercialization of products necessary for growing the cereal. Among them are seeds, agrochemicals, fertilizers, and agricultural equipment, items whose availability has decreased in recent years in various rural areas of Cuba. Cuban rice production faces difficulties associated with the lack of fuel, inputs, machinery, and financing. Added to this is the deterioration of other agricultural sectors, which reduced their supply in the context of a prolonged economic crisis. Vietnam and China have consolidated themselves as the main suppliers of rice for Cuba in recent years. The dependence on external purchases responds to the difference between the volume the island produces and the needs of the domestic market. Rice is part of the basic basket and the daily diet of millions of Cubans. The irregular availability of the product has generated lines, delays in deliveries, and greater pressure on prices in the informal market, where food is usually sold above official values. Piles of sacks of imported rice are stacked at a modern Venezuelan port, with a large cargo ship and silos in the background, during an unloading operation. (Infobae Illustrative Image)The decline in Cuban agricultural production occurs amid an economic crisis that has lasted for six years. The situation is linked to internal planning problems, restrictions on access to inputs, and a reduced import capacity. In 2026, the situation worsened due to the oil blockade imposed by the United States and the sanctions against those who do business with the Cuban regime. The arrival of the new Vietnamese batch adds 1,500 tons to a market that requires much larger volumes to compensate for the deficit in national production and sustain regular consumption on the island.