Nebraska to sell products to Cuba

Posted on Wed, Nov. 02, 2005

TRADE
Nebraska to sell products to Cuba
Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman finalized deals to sell wheat, beans and soy
products worth some $27 million to Cuba.
BY VANESSA ARRINGTON
Associated Press

HAVANA - A trade delegation led by Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman finalized
deals Tuesday to sell wheat, beans and soy products worth some $27
million to Cuba, fulfilling most of a trade agreement signed this summer.

On his first trip to Cuba in August, Heineman agreed to export $30
million of Nebraska agricultural goods to the communist-run island's
food import company, Alimport.

Less than three months later, on Tuesday he signed off on several
individual deals including 25,000 tons of high-protein soymeal, 75,000
tons of wheat and 7,000 tons of beans.

''The pace has exceeded our expectations,'' Heineman said after the
signing, adding that he plans at least one return trip to the island
next year. ``I'm going to do all I can for my farmers and ranchers. This
is a new export opportunity, and they expect me to take advantage of that.''

Cuba has been under an American trade embargo for more than four
decades, but a law passed by Congress in 2000 allows American food to be
sold directly to the island on a cash basis.

For the past four years, Cuba has contracted to buy more than $1.4
billion in American farm goods, including shipping and hefty bank fees
to send payments through third nations, according to Alimport's top
official, Pedro Alvarez.

At Tuesday's signing, Alvarez called the Nebraska governor ``a friend of
ours.''

''I hope to continue and enhance that working relationship,'' Heineman
told reporters afterward. ``We want this relationship to be a long-term
one.''

Of Nebraska's original $30 million trade agreement, just $2.5 million in
great northern bean sales had been completed before this week's fair.
The beans are to be sent to Cuba this month, marking the first U.S.
shipment of great northern beans to the island since Fidel Castro came
to power in 1959.

Alimport also announced a pledge to purchase another $35 million next
year in U.S. agricultural products, including $5 million worth of beef
from Omaha's Nebraska Beef.

The other $30 million would be spent on 150,000 tons of U.S. soybean
products, said Greg Anderson, chairman of the United Soybean Board.
Anderson, a farmer based in Nebraska, said the beans will come from
several states.

Anderson was on his first trip to Cuba, but plans to return in April. He
applauded the Nebraska governor for taking the lead in developing trade
ties with Cuba.

Tuesday's signing took place during Cuba's annual trade fair in the
outskirts of Havana. Trade delegations from Georgia and Alabama were
also hoping to ink deals with Cuba.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/international/latin_america/13056598.htm