The Government of Havana announced new agricultural fairs in different parts of the city for this weekend, with the promise of improving access to food products.
However, the comments from the population reflect a different picture: high prices, limited variety, and a lack of real impact on consumers' economy.
Havana residents question the effectiveness of the fairs
Agricultural fairs have been promoted as an alternative for purchasing products at regulated prices. However, citizens have pointed out that the costs do not differ from those in the private sector.
In John Lennon Park, for example, third-quality Creole rice was sold at 240 pesos per pound, but only if purchased in a combo with a package of small, low-quality beans, which raised the total cost to 1,400 pesos.
The bag of criollo rice was a hash with a package of butter beans. Who oversees this? Because that is not the price at which they should be selling that rice, especially with the quality it had," commented Adis Nubia Fonseca Castro.
Other users reported higher prices than those of the street vendors. "Tomatoes at 120 pesos per pound at the market, while on the street you find them at 100," said Iliana Grande Rodríguez.
Prices inaccessible for workers and retirees
One of the biggest complaints has been the difficulty of shopping at the fairs with current wages. "The fairs are a good option, but we need the government to raise wages so we can buy," said Dayami Otaño Moreno.
The cost of essential products, such as repackaged milk at 1,800 pesos per kilogram or eggs above 3,000 pesos per carton, makes it impossible for many retirees and state workers to afford them.
For the rich, the salary is 2,500, and the elderly pensions don't even allow us to get close," lamented a user.
Lack of equitable distribution and logistical problems
While the inhabitants of Havana demand lower prices, residents of other provinces denounce the total shortage.
I'm happy for the people of Havana, we from Bauta in Artemisa don't see a single tomato, everything goes there," said a user on Facebook.
In other municipalities of the capital, the markets have left much to be desired. In Cotorro, for example, the only available staple was cassava, while in Habana del Este the market had barely two trucks and a large number of resellers.
Additionally, transportation problems have complicated access. "In large municipalities, they should hold two fairs in different locations because transportation is very bad," commented a woman from Havana.
No clear answers nor price control
Despite citizens' complaints, the authorities have remained silent about the prices and quality of the products offered at the fairs. "Put up the prices to see if the working people and retirees can buy," demanded a resident.
Meanwhile, the widespread perception is that the fairs do not fulfill their purpose of alleviating the food situation. "Same old, same old, unattainable prices and people continue to struggle," concluded Rosa M. Cabrera on Facebook.
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Yesterday I left you a positive comment about the fair and you didn’t post it. You’re like Cubadebate that posts whatever it wants. In the end, they’re all the same. It doesn’t matter. I will talk about you on Facebook and other platforms and I will tell my friends so they also talk about this censorship. Who pays you? USAID?
Here in Regla, the rice is 700.00 pesos per kilogram.
Bt, the Saturday fair is really a great government activity, however, we have to keep writing about mistakes by those who have the obligation to take care of the people, high prices of all products, scales that are never accurate, they are always off to the middle, there is no card payment service, there is no connection or they do not provide that service, today at the Virgen del Camino market, I tried to buy chicken and none of the stalls offer that service, who should ensure this? the administrator, the inspector!!!, or no one, I get paid on the card, there is no way to withdraw money from the bank or ATM and you can't buy either, writes a humble state worker.
First of all, good afternoon. I mention that many citizens raise real situations with the current prices at the fairs, and as an example, I point out
that in Trillo park the price was 300.00 per pound of rice and when you weighed it, it was missing 1/2 pound. And for example, every 10 people who requested 5 lbs. acquired 4.5 lbs., which meant they failed to deliver 0.5 lbs. to the population and yet they charge for the full amount, and the same happens with other products. It also happens in the warehouses, and I know this from personal experience and I have complained about it. It also happens with the street vendors and in the markets where prices are set sky-high and not all citizens have a high income. Thank you for your attention.
They should send inspectors to the fair and set the real prices so that the people can buy without being scammed by resellers.
The actions of the DIS inspectors in La Lisa must be controlled. These criminals warn the vendors when they must set the established prices, when there is supervision from other departments. There is no shame in Cuba.
I wonder, when will there be a survey to determine which consumers should receive the subsidized products of the impoverished basic basket. Lisa Municipality. The worst of all. Oh, I forgot, the rationed breads, please surprise us with your visit, the bakery located on Ave 51 between 212 and 214 La Lisa. All kinds of violations, especially on weekends and in the afternoon. Small weight, improper handling, they smoke and talk over the bread, in the afternoon there is no bread and then they sell it for 10 CUP.
Disrespect towards the working people who earn nothing more than a meager salary
The problem is not the fair, it is the lack of production in the countryside, they only talk about the farmers, and the state-owned companies we knew, where are they, the lands are the same, nothing is produced.
Likewise, a lack of respect for a people with small and miserable wages compared to the prices of the products
Without much preamble
He is going hungry and has many, many needs. How can I buy food with a retirement pension of 1628?
Diabetic, hypertensive without medication because there is none… is this life? The life I had has gone with this president's term.
Fidel, how much we need you, you are unique
Well, I will tell you that all those fairs are a slap in the face to the people because the producers are not going to lower the prices and there are already about three intermediaries.
Firstly, the concept of FAIR has been lost, please look it up in the dictionary, the concept of economic abuse-shamelessness has increased, whose fault? The blockade and the fact that governments no longer want to work for the people.
Government inspectors are needed, one of them the corrupt suck-ups that there are so far.
At least in Guanabacoa I didn't see any rice being sold, tomatoes ranged between 60 and 80 pesos, cucumbers at 40 pesos
Gentlemen, they organize the fairs, but they don't care whether people can buy or not, because if they did care, they would have already solved the problem of prices or people with low wages. This is not a complaint from today. How long have we been dealing with the same thing? They, the owners of this country, have their problems solved and they don't care about us at all, how sad, and to think that one day many believed in this.
The best part is that I couldn't buy rice thanks to the street vendors who took them away by the sacks and it was barely 7:00am.