Cuba Opens Up to American Food

H A V A N A, Cuba, Sept. 26, 2002 -- There are free burgers and fries, American pies, dancing raisins and a wandering can of Spam. Ordinary fare for a food marketing show in the United States.

But this is Havana.

And there's nothing ordinary about the "U.S. Food and Agribusiness Exhibition," now appearing at the Havana Convention Palace.

"I think we're in the middle of a history-making event," says seed salesman Larry White, from North Dakota. "I am pushing the United States to let us open more free markets."

White represents one the 288 U.S. businesses and trade organizations here — a Who's Who of the American food products business.

Wrigley's gum has come, giving away handfuls of Juicy Fruit and other treats unknown and unavailable to Cubans. Wrigley's used to be available here. But that was more than 40 years ago, before Fidel Castro and the communist revolution.

Now Wrigley's wants in and so do the other American companies who have come here.

"We feel like the market's going to open up here in the future," says Tony Moreno of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, "I think Cuba is potentially a great market for American products."

Trade Doors Close

Before the 1959 revolution Cuba was great market for American products. The United States was the biggest supplier of imported food here.

It makes sense, Florida is just 90 miles to the north.

But the souring of U.S.-Cuba relations that followed Castro's rise to power closed this market. The Kennedy administration imposed a trade embargo that still stands.

It was an attempt to destabilize the Castro government. It has had a huge impact on the lives of ordinary Cubans, but after 43 years Castro can lay claim to the title: world's longest-ruling leader. He also oversees a country that cannot produce enough food to feed itself.

"Enough," says Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, here leading a veritable Noah's Ark of Minnesota livestock on display at the show — two cows, two bison, two sheep, two pigs.

"I believe the relationship between the United States and Cuba has gone on a long long time and it's time to look for a new approach," he adds.

Open for Business

The opening came two years ago when Congress eased the U.S. trade embargo just a bit. The changes allow limited U.S. food sales here, on a cash-only basis. Every other country America trades with is allowed credit.

The restrictions make it difficult for businesses to sell to this cash-poor nation, but not impossible.

So far this year Cuba has bought $120 million worth of U.S. agricultural products including corn, soya bean, apples and chicken.

But now others are clamoring for a piece of the Cuban pie. Snack food producers, wineries, fruit growers. They're all here. And they have all considered rejected the argument in some U.S. quarters that their presence here is an endorsement of the Castro government.

"Most American companies don't agree with the embargo," says David Rohtbart, president of the Cattleman's Meat Company in Detroit. "We're here to make a statement that we think the government should lift the embargo."

But it's clear the Bush administration has no plans to do that, despite growing push from business, from Congress and from the American public.

What’s the Beef?

James Cason is the new chief U.S. diplomat to Cuba — with no official relations there has been no exchange of ambassadors.

He has been on the job just two weeks and he has made his position and the official U.S. government position on this trade show pointedly clear. "There's going to be a lot of beef being shown," he says, tongue-heavily-in-cheek, "but I expect to hear and see a lot more bull than I do beef from the Cuban authorities."

None of that seems to be deterring the businessmen and businesswoman who have traveled here. Many boast that they are card-carrying Republicans. But they say they also believe in free enterprise.

And that's what has brought them to Cuba.