Cuba faces severe food shortages, poverty deepens

Independent Cuban portals report that problems with the supply of basic food products are becoming increasingly severe. Human rights organizations point out that the escalating food shortages in Cuban stores are deepening residents' poverty.

In Cuba, problems are mounting related to shortages of basic foodstuffs, independent Cuban portals reported on Wednesday.

According to information provided by the 14ymedio portal on Wednesday, Cuban stores especially lacked powdered milk, poultry, oil, sausages, and pasta.

Similar reports appeared in the government newspaper "5 de Septiembre," which notes that the escalating food shortages are due to the implementation of price caps and the intense activity of the black market. According to the newspaper, food products are being purchased en masse by people engaged in street trading.

Human rights organizations emphasize that the deepening shortages of goods in Cuban stores are contributing to increasing poverty among the island’s residents.

In recent months, Cuba has also dealt with other issues, such as power outages, rising fuel prices, and declining agricultural and industrial production.

Government data also confirm the dramatic decline in food production on the island. Information from the National Office of Statistics and Information (Onei) in Havana indicates that food production has decreased by almost 70 percent over the past five years.

The government-run Cuban institution points out that particularly severe reductions in production have affected pork, rice, and bread.