Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, visited today several economic and social sites in the municipality of Bayamo, the capital of Granma Province, where he observed efforts to sustain production and services despite the country’s complex situation.

At the Bayamo Zoo Complex Basic Enterprise Unit, the head of state greeted children and adults and spoke with its director, Dámaso Benítez Ramos, whom he congratulated for the good condition of the facility, while also urging him to maintain it and provide visitors with quality services.

A landmark for recreation among residents of the provincial capital and other communities in eastern Cuba, the center includes a children’s amusement area with 16 attractions that had fallen into disrepair and were restored at the start of the current summer season.

Accompanied by Granma’s top political and government authorities, Díaz-Canel also reviewed details of the facility’s animal welfare section, which currently houses 170 specimens of various species.

At the beginning of his tour, the Cuban president held a lively exchange with farmer Víctor Armas Labrada, owner of the Media Luna farm, who manages about 133 hectares primarily dedicated to diverse crops and is a member of the Israel Oliva credit and services cooperative.

Interested in the farmer’s strategies for producing under the nation’s difficult economic conditions, Díaz-Canel learned about his results and ongoing efforts to reach 100 hectares of plantains under the extra-dense planting technology.

Armas Labrada explained that, so far, he has only 30 hectares in production, mainly due to fuel shortages and irregular water pumping. Meanwhile, 10 hectares of the Fhia 04 plantain variety, now in development, are expected to yield about 30,000 quintals in the coming months.

Later, Díaz-Canel visited Buffalo Dairy No. 5, part of the Ernesto Che Guevara Basic Enterprise Unit, which belongs to the Bayamo Agricultural Company.

The entity has made significant progress in the production and marketing of milk and meat from a herd of 92 water buffalo, including 53 females. Of these, 37 have already calved and another 22 are expected to do so soon, reaching a daily production of about 66 liters of milk.

During the visit, the delegation learned that the five-member workforce earns monthly salaries ranging between 12,000 and 15,000 pesos.