--snip-- This was not merely the result of the structure of production under colonialism, but also the consequence of the large market offered by the Soviet bloc for Cuba's sugar exports at prices which, during the 1980s, were on average 5.4 times higher than world prices. In return for those exports at favourable prices, Cuba received petroleum which could be re-exported to earn hard currency. The net result was that imports accounted for 57 per cent of the total calories in the average Cuban diet.
--snip--
Funny, nowadays 57% food imports don't sound so not so bad for the Caribbean. I think the paper recently said that PR is somewhere like in the 90% range -- that is 90% of our food is imported. Even sugar is imported from Florida. I recall reading not long ago that even Jamaica tipped the scale, and now imports more food than they produce. Seems hard to believe. I don't know how much of that is for local consumption (i.e. not for tourists). I have been trying to find hard data on this issue, but most of the pages I hit only give the food imports as % of GNP or as % of export earnings.
What are the best places to get such data? Would appreciate any pointers on such matters, even off list ... My interest is the Caribbean - particularly Jamaica, Eastern Caribbean (formerly British islands). Don't know why -- but there has to be a way to get this into my diss. ;-)
Thanks, Sally Everson
-----Original Message----- From: lbo-talk-admin at lbo-talk.org [mailto:lbo-talk-admin at lbo-talk.org]On Behalf Of uvj at vsnl.com Sent: Monday, November 17, 2003 11:48 AM To: lbo Subject: [lbo-talk] Cuba: Regression and Recovery
Frontline
Volume 16 - Issue 7, Mar. 27 - Apr. 9, 1999
REGRESSION AND RECOVERY
C.P. CHANDRASEKHAR recently in Havana
http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1607/16071120.htm
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