Guantanamo.- The Guantanamo Province has launched a campaign to significantly increase charcoal production, which is aimed at generating foreign currency and meeting domestic consumption, especially given the electricity and fuel shortages.
The plan is to produce more than 1,800 tons for export, which would represent a historic record for Guantánamo.
The initiative involves collaboration among various entities within the Ministry of Agriculture and other organizations, which are working to overcome challenges such as production certification that have limited shipments.
In the municipality of Imías, they expect to increase charcoal production, with goals of reaching 200 tons by 2026, an increase of over 200% compared to the previous plan.
However, the lack of undesirable wood species, such as marabou, is hindering the process. Despite this, efforts have been coordinated with forestry companies to guarantee the supply of raw materials.
Collaboration among producers, community organizations, and cooperatives is vital for the success of this endeavor, which represents an economic and development opportunity for the region.
In the province, there are some micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), especially in the Guantánamo Valley and in the municipality of Manuel Tames aimed at the production and marketing of this solid fuel, primarily for supplying the foreign market.
Their deliveries are counted in the general territorial export plan. In addition to the production of the specialized agricultural brigades, the MSMEs, the municipal services brigades, and other organizations, there is also the production of the so-called “popular charcoal makers,” who contribute a significant volume of the charcoal that reaches thousands of families, especially in the municipal capitals, as it is sold daily on highways, in neighborhoods, communities, and homes.
