Farmers across Cuba are warning of an imminent food shortage as ongoing US fuel restrictions exacerbate the country’s longstanding agricultural crisis. In Quivican, a municipality near Havana, tons of tomatoes are rotting at a local food factory because the facility cannot process them in time. Normally, these tomatoes are turned into paste within 24 hours of arrival, but frequent power cuts and limited electricity—only four hours per day—have halted operations. Factory workers and farmers report that up to 80% of their production is being lost, adding to growing concerns over the nation’s food security.
Beyond processing issues, fuel shortages are disrupting transportation. Farmers struggle to deliver crops to hospitals, schools, and supermarkets, further restricting access to essential food supplies. Some have lost entire harvests, such as sugarcane, which dried before it could be cut, and others face uncertainty over garlic, plantains, manioc, and other staple crops. Dion Figueroa, a fifth-generation farmer, says he cannot plant new crops because there is no fuel for tractors or machinery, threatening food availability for the next season.
Cuba, once the world’s largest producer of sugarcane, has seen its sugar industry collapse. Many sugar mills, including one in Quivican, have been paralyzed for years due to lack of investment and state support. Nearby agricultural cooperatives cite insufficient machinery, seeds, fertilizers, and fumigation resources as major barriers. While private farmers can now import these necessities, they must do so in US dollars, while most Cubans earn in local currency, creating a financial disconnect that makes production unsustainable.
The Cuban government has begun easing strict controls over the economy, allowing more flexibility in agriculture and trade. However, these policy changes are undermined by the ongoing fuel blockade, leaving farmers unable to operate efficiently or meet local demand. Without fuel, essential farm activities such as irrigation, planting, and harvesting cannot proceed, compounding the risk of widespread food shortages.
The situation has triggered concern among both citizens and experts, as months without sufficient harvests could lead to a serious shortage of staples. Crops that could normally sustain local populations are at risk of spoilage, while new planting cycles are delayed. The crisis illustrates how external sanctions, combined with long-standing underinvestment in the agricultural sector, can have cascading effects on food security and livelihoods.
Farmers and cooperatives are calling for urgent solutions, emphasizing that the country has the manpower and financial resources to produce food but lacks the necessary fuel, equipment, and inputs. Without immediate intervention or lifting of fuel restrictions, Cuban households could face severe shortages in the coming months, threatening the basic food supply for millions of people across the island nation.