Cuban and Mexican sugar growers sign cooperation agreement

Representatives of Cuban and Mexican scientific centers involved in sugar production signed a first-ever cooperation agreement to promote the exchange of sugarcane biological and genetic material, a highly valuable strategic item in both countries.

The two signatories, MSc Arlandy Noy Perera, general director of the Cuban Sugarcane Research Institute (INICA) and Dr. Carlos Flores Revilla, head of the Sugarcane Research and Development Center (CIDCA) in Chiapas, Mexico, underscored the need to develop sugarcane-related scientific, research, training, and technology transfer activities based on visits and knowledge sharing among specialists, among other plans included in the five-year agreement.

It was the first act of the VIII Meeting of ATAC and ATAM, the Cuban and Mexican associations of sugarcane technicians, respectively.

ATAC president Eduardo Lamadrid Martínez thanked his hosts for coming to Cuba right after Hurricane Rafael caused extensive damage in the island, whereas Eng. Mariela Gallardo Capote, vice-president of the AZCUBA Business Group, described the meeting as enlightening in the midst of the difficulties caused by the U.S. blockade of Cuba.

ATAC was established at the Midday Club, in the Royal Bank of Canada building in Havana, on January 3, 1927, when only one of its 15 founders was Cuban, another was Portuguese, one was Spanish, and 12 were Americans.