Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, concluded on Tuesday the visit by the Secretariat and the auxiliary structure of the Central Committee to the state and enterprise system of the Ministry of the Food Industry (MINAL), during a meeting with Party members and workers in the sector.
According to sources from the Presidency, the meeting—held to wrap up the visit—assessed the implementation of measures to support the ongoing economic and social transformations, as well as the response to proposals put forward by various workplaces.
Díaz-Canel emphasized that the food industry holds a strategic position in the national economy due to its connection to food sovereignty.
The First Secretary noted that this process is part of the agreements reached during the 11th Plenary Session of the Party’s Central Committee, which approved the advancement of economic and social transformations at an accelerated pace.
The visit to MINAL follows similar visits to the Ministry of Energy and Mines, the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Public Health, and the Central Bank; this series of visits will continue in the coming weeks.
During the afternoon session, the Minister of the sector, Alberto López Díaz, explained that the Ministry and its enterprise system will implement 100 of the 176 planned economic and social transformations, organized across 23 thematic areas.
López Díaz pointed out that these transformations represent an opportunity to advance the energy transition and increase power generation from renewable sources—noting that more kilowatts ultimately mean more food. During the discussion, energy expert Laionel Concepción Pacheco underscored the importance of the Ministry of the Food Industry (MINAL) reaching a nine percent share of renewable energy generation by the end of 2026—a target set to see a significant leap next year.
Osmany Castillo, Director General of the Fruit and Vegetable Canning Enterprise, explained that the entity currently has 100 kW of renewable capacity—covering ten percent of its energy demand. One of its factories installed a 50 kW system, which has led to a boost in production, wages, and profits.
He added that the company plans to cover 47 percent of its energy demand by 2027, utilizing bank loans to achieve this.
Díaz-Canel stated that the food industry is one of the sectors that most significantly shapes public perception regarding the ongoing transformations.
“When you analyze the prevailing sentiments among the population,” he remarked, “it becomes clear that, among these transformations, what people most immediately expect is fewer blackouts and more food.”
The First Secretary argued that the performance of the food industry is directly proportional to the availability of food and basic consumer goods on the tables of the people.
“If we produce more food—if we increase the food supply—what happens to prices?” he asked. “They go down. What happens to inflation? It drops. And what happens to purchasing power? It increases.”
Díaz-Canel emphasized that the core challenge lies not merely in producing more food, but in moving from words to action—translating these transformations into increased production, a broader supply, better prices, more jobs, and higher household incomes.
Regarding the role of the Communist Party, he stressed that its function is not to manage the enterprise, but rather to provide political leadership, party oversight, and ideological guidance, ensuring that these transformations are implemented in a way that delivers tangible results for the people. “The 176 Economic and Social Transformations will not be implemented through circulars, resolutions, or even laws. They are implemented through what is done in every factory, every plant, and every workplace,” he stated.
Participating in the concluding session were Politburo member and Secretary of Organization of the Central Committee, Roberto Morales Ojeda, as well as Secretariat members José Ramón Monteagudo Ruiz, Jorge Luis Broche Lorenzo, and Yudi Mercedes Rodríguez Hernánde, among other leaders.
IMAGE CREDIT: ACN | Photos: Estudios Revolución
[ SOURCE: AGENCIA CUBANA DE NOTICIAS ]
