After many years of having a minimal presence in the market, U.S. red meat is gaining traction in Cuba – due in part to an expansion of private-sector buying.
To help U.S. suppliers capitalize on this opportunity, the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) recently held an educational seminar in Miami, bringing exporters and prospective buyers together to learn more about the procedures for conducting business in Cuba. USMEF Caribbean Representative Elizabeth Wunderlich has more details on the seminar in this audio report, which also includes remarks from Paul Johnson of FocusCuba, a consulting firm that specializes in assisting U.S. companies interested in the Cuban market.
Johnson says that much of the interest from Cuban buyers is for U.S. pork, due to a sharp decline in Cuba’s domestic pork production. But he notes that opportunities for U.S. exporters are also expanding because they now have access to more buyers, rather than having to work through Cuba’s government procurement agency.
Alicia Rodriguez, who directs new business development for Florida-based distributor American Foods International, found the USMEF seminar to be a great opportunity.
Through September, U.S. pork exports to Cuba totaled 5,843 metric tons (mt), up 322% from the same period last year, valued at $17.2 million (up 236%). On the beef side, Cuba currently takes mostly canned product but shipments are up sharply. January-September exports increased more than 1,500% from a year ago, reaching 3,234 mt, valued at $5.4 million (up 519%). For U.S. lamb entering Cuba, 387 mt of variety meat exports were reported through September, valued at $1.5 million (no lamb exports were reported for the same period in 2023).
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