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Trade
agreement
signed
between
Alabama
and
Cuba
BY ALDO MADRUGA—Granma
daily staff writer—
THREE trade agreements between the U.S. state of
Alabama and the Cuban enterprise ALIMPORT were
signed yesterday at the International Press Center
in Havana in a ceremony attended by a large number
of national and international journalists.
Ron
Sparks, commissioner for Agriculture and Industry in
Alabama, and Pedro Álvarez, president of ALIMPORT,
signed the documents that commit the island to
purchasing agricultural produce – including poultry
and dairy products – from Alabama to a value of $10
million. To date, the island has imported foodstuffs
worth just $500,000 from this state.
Sparks said that August 21 was a great day for
Alabama farmers and the population in general, but
also for the Cuban people. He assured those present
that this could be a long-term relationship, both
solid and advantageous.
He
added that Cuba is opening up a magnificent
opportunity for U.S. export companies, through the
Mobile maritime port - the only port in Alabama and
one of the busiest in the USA – situated around 600
nautical miles from Cuba.
The
Alabama government official said that the agreement
marks the start of a fruitful relationship, the
importance of which lies in its repercussions for
the future. He promised that he would personally
intervene on behalf of Cuba in federal government to
lift the sanctions currently obstructing trade and
understanding between the two nations. He will also
raise the subject with state representatives in the
U.S. legislative chambers.
During the ceremony, the U.S. delegation presented
its Cuban counterparts with a statement affirming
that the visit was useful in identifying a wide
range of opportunities for trading items in both
directions, and the will to fight to achieve that.
María Conchita Méndez, from the Alabama port
authorities and a member of the committee of cattle
ranchers, agriculturists, timber merchants, plus
representatives from the dairy industry and others,
referred to the repercussions that trade between the
U.S. and Cuba would have for the organization that
she represents as well as on the Caribbean island,
given the short crossing and the variety of produce
covered by this contract.
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