The Lafayette Daily Advertiser

Representatives of the U.S. Rice Producers Association were in Havana, Cuba, last week at the invitation of Pedro Alvarez, president and CEO of ALIMPORT (Empresa Cubana de Alimentos), the Cuban food import agency.

The visit was highlighted by the joint signing of a letter of intent by Alvarez and Dwight Roberts, president and CEO of the U.S. Rice Producers Association, which called for the expansion of trade relations between the two groups including the proposition to elevate the level of Cuba’s purchases of rice from the United States. After the signing ceremony, a press conference was held in the Hotel Nacional in Havana.

“Cuba has imported 100,000 tons of rice from the United States this year, and despite commercial restrictions placed on doing business, Cuba is the third largest importer of rice from North America after both Mexico and Japan,” Alvarez said.

The U.S. Rice Producers Association represents rice farmers in Mississippi, Missouri, Texas, California, Louisiana and Arkansas, and is the only organization solely representing the views of U.S. rice farmers.