Raul Castro on the Cuban Economy

[captain duff]

http://www.thewestindiannews.com/raul-castro-highlights-encouraging-signs-in-cuban-economy/

It would appear to be a cautious implimentation of perestoika within the economy (linked to some glasnost given the freeing of political dissidents), but I guess the interesting question relevant to this forum is what changes this could imply for the cigar industry. Obviously the big brands and factories will remaain under state control (they are too profitable in terms of foreign exchange not to), but does it leave room for smaller locaalised entrepreneurs to begin to grow and manufacture small quantities of cigars themselves?

[Aussiewaz]

I've always been concerned with the "Ciban's" They tend to be a race of Civet cats and Triban reprobates. Nice treatise though.

[cj121]

If they can roll, they're in!

[nicwing]

I've always been concerned with the "Ciban's" They tend to be a race of Civet cats and Triban reprobates. Nice treatise though.

Sorry Bruce, I have corrected the title which rather bu66ers up your joke now I have read down.

[Aussiewaz]

Sorry Bruce, I have corrected the title which rather bu66ers up your joke now I have read down.

Yep I'm screwed now. Thanks Tom. LMAO

[nicwing]

The name's Bruce:

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[Simon-JG-hr]

Thank you Nic, a bit of Python always makes the afternoon that little bit better.

Interesting article captain, thank you.

does it leave room for smaller locaalised entrepreneurs to begin to grow and manufacture small quantities of cigars themselves?

I suspect that the big half of that question is the growth of the tobacco. There are already (semi-)independent grows - the Robainas as the prime example, but they must sell their tobacco leaves to the state. It certainly reads as though it would be possible for someone to set up a small rolling factory, but the main question would then be where to get the tobacco from?

[snooky]

Interesting article, thanks Captain, good luck to Chester in the new season.

[HabanoSy]

Interesting read Captain...

Good stuff...

Cheers, HabanoSy

[cbob]

... but does it leave room for smaller localized entrepreneurs to begin to grow and manufacture small quantities of cigars themselves?

They have been doing so for years.
Every box of counterfeit cigars that has been offered for sale to gullible tourists over the past half-century is the product of local entrepreneurs who (illegally) manufacture and package an inferior product in order to gain some hard currency.
If those same folks put as much effort into food production, fewer Cubans would be doing without but producing food only to see 99.8% of it going for government distribution gives very little back to the producer-certainly not enough to eat and no hard currency to buy what we in "developed" countries would deem essentials.

Despite Raoul's statements, there seems to be little actually happening to improve the Cuban economy and regular visitors note the shortages of paying jobs, food and simple household goods. But even tiny steps may help and we can only stand by and hope for better things to come.