Guantanamo.- Technicians from the Alastor Guantánamo Boiler Company has been working since Tuesday to repair a boiler malfunction at the Valle de Caujerí Industrial Basic Business Unit, a key facility for tomato production in the Guantanamo Province.
According to Venceremos Newspaper, a swift solution to the problem is vital to avoid significant losses during the peak ripening of the tomato harvest in the municipality of San Antonio del Sur.
The repair requires at least 48 hours to end, with the possibility of resuming operations by Thursday afternoon.
However, the lack of fuel and electricity is limiting industrial activity, which is affecting the processing capacity of the harvested tomatoes.
The plant has been offline since Sunday, causing nearly 60 pallets of tomatoes to spoil and putting large quantities stored in the fields at risk.
Local producers, such as Egueny Rodríguez and Rudy Tito Navarro, emphasize the seriousness of the situation, citing losses already suffered in previous harvests. One solution is to redistribute the harvest to other provinces or send it to alternative processing plants if they are operational.
Tomás Columbié, another prominent farmer, emphasizes the need to open markets in other municipalities to avoid waste.
Currently, around 750 tons are being harvested in Valle de Caujerí, but between 500 and 600 tons remain to be collected, which are at risk due to technical and logistical difficulties.
The industry and producers face a crucial challenge to salvage the season, after overcoming recent weather disasters that affected the region.
