The commercial event, the most important in the country and considered significant for the Caribbean and Latin America, fosters fruitful exchanges between foreign business representatives and local authorities, and also favored the signing of new agreements for future developments.
The Cuban companies were the most awarded at the close of the 37th Havana International Fair, which closed its doors in the traditional Expo Cuba headquarters.
Several Cuban products, such as the exclusive rum 1519, from Havana Club; Cubalux supermulti oil, or Ceballos marabou coal, obtained gold medals at a ceremony headed by the Vice President of the Council of Ministers, Ricardo Cabrisas.
Companies from Spain, Italy and Germany, among others, also reached the awards that are delivered each year at the close of the Havana fair, which has become the main commercial exchange in the Caribbean and one of the most important in Latin America.
FIHAV 2019 took place amid a difficult economic scenario for the island, marked by the intensification of the pressures and sanctions imposed by Washington against Havana. However, the event brought together business representatives from 60 countries, along with national exhibitors.
Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment (MINCEX), Rodrigo Malmierca, considered that the event is a demonstration of the confidence of international entrepreneurs in the Cuban market.
He also reiterated that Cuba will honor the commitments made, despite the United States’ attempts to isolate the country, and create economic difficulties.
FIHAV 2019 also saw the presentation of the latest portfolio of foreign investment opportunities for 2019-2020, the value of which exceeds 11.74 billion dollars, distributed across 460 projects.
Most of the opportunities included in the portfolio are concentrated in strategic sectors for the country, such as tourism (116), oil (114), agri-food (81) and industries (32).
Another focus of the event was the Mariel Special Development Zone (ZEDM), which had its own pavilion, an example of the progress in the preparation of conditions and the attraction of foreign capital to this area.
The food issue was a focus of debates, negotiations and proposals, as is the case of the joint enterprise Industrial Molinera de La Habana S.A. (IMSA).
IMSA, a merger between Mexico’s Grupo Altex S.A. and Cuba’s Corporación Alimentaria S.A., CORALSA, is the most modern mill in the country, with the latest technology for processing cereals, which since 2003 produces and markets flour, semolina and bran.
Flour exports to Venezuela and Jamaica were also negotiated during the Fair.
For the first time, Cuba’s private sector will be represented at the trade fair by two non-agricultural cooperatives that will exhibit their export products.
A few hours after its inauguration, Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade (ICEX) advisor Maria Peña said that Spanish exports to Cuba have grown more than 10% compared to last year.
The Spanish business sector’s commitment to the Cuban market was demonstrated by the presence at the fair of 110 firms that operate in such areas as the agri-food industry, equipment, hotel supplies, construction and logistics, among others.
According to statistics, 13% more Spanish companies export to Cuba (nearly 3,500) and trade with the Caribbean island has grown 9% more than with the rest of the world.
Peña did not ignore the difficult context in which bilateral trade is taking place, due to protectionism and the damage caused by the United States blockade against Cuba.
The event is sponsored by MINCEX, the Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of Cuba and the PALCO Business Group since 1983. (Periódico Digital Centroamericano y del Caribe)
Original Source: PL / ACN/ Radio cadena Agramonte
