Havana/The crisis that Cuba is experiencing is also being reflected in the drop, since the beginning of this year, in food imports from the United States. Chicken, the product most purchased by both the State and MSMEs since records began, plummeted this February both by tons and by value compared to the previous month.
13,121 tons were purchased for 15.87 million dollars, a drop of 19.6% in quantity and 21% in value compared to January. Furthermore, if compared to the month of December, when around 23,000 tons arrived, the situation is much worse. Regarding the year-on-year decrease, in February 2025 Cuba imported 25,474 tons for 32.46 million, which means that the availability of the island’s main source of animal protein has been reduced by almost half in one year.
The data is from the US Department of Agriculture and reflects the limitations in the purchasing capacity not only of the State, but also of the private sector. The long blackouts – which prevent the cold chain from being maintained – and the distribution difficulties from the ports, as a result of the oil blockade imposed by the United States on the Island at the end of January, are aggravating the population’s already diminished purchasing options.
The data is from the US Department of Agriculture and reflects the limitations in the purchasing capacity not only of the State, but also of the private sector.
The numbers are consistent with those also published this Wednesday by the US-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, which reveal the drop in imports of food and agricultural products – including frozen chicken – by 36.6% when compared to February 2025. In the second month of the year, the Island paid $30,187,420 in food, below the $47,636,633 last year, although slightly above what was reported in February 2024, with 27,204,788 dollars.
In the first two months of the year, the value reached 65,831,522 dollars, also below the 93,168,816 dollars registered in the same period of 2025, which is equivalent to a year-on-year contraction of 29.3%.
The report shows that frozen chicken meat continues to be, since 2012, the most demanded product by Cuban importers and almost represents half of the total food purchases in February. Next on the list is rice, with 1,926,996 dollars. This is followed by sweetened milk and cream, frozen pork, juice blends, roasted coffee, and bone-in pork cuts.
In total, the 10 main products purchased in February amounted to 22,140,544 dollars, which is equivalent to 73.3% of the total exported by the United States to the Island under the framework authorized by the exemptions to the embargo, which allow the importation of food, health products and automobiles, mainly, always in cash and in advance.
The figures continue to show that the much talked about food sovereignty It is still light years away from being achieved. During the first nine months of 2025, Cuba imported 355 million dollars in agricultural products from the United States, 15% more than what was registered in the same period of 2024, according to figures from the Department of Agriculture of that country. At that time, one of the products that reported the greatest increase was pork. Between January and September of last year, the Island bought $33.6 million of this input from its northern neighbor, more than double the same period in 2024, when it spent $16.3 million.
This month’s report also records that, once the Donald Trump Administration added fuel to the list of products authorized for export to private individuals in Cuba, there were purchases for $2,573,594.
This month’s report also records that, once the Donald Trump Administration added fuel to the list of products authorized for export to private individuals in Cuba, there were purchases for $2,573,594.
In that order, the growth of US car exports is also reported, the amount of which amounted to $16,238,357 in the first two months of this year. The accumulated value since 2022, when the first license to import vehicles to the Island was issued, exceeds 416 million dollars. Of this figure, more than 243 million correspond to electric and gasoline vehicles, both new and used, as well as bicycles, trucks, motorcycles and mopeds, as well as parts and pieces. The year in which the most was paid for these products was 2025, when it closed with $149,413,031.
The expense figures presented in the report only include the price of products exported from the United States, not including transportation or other associated charges.
In February, Cuba also ranked 51st among 215 US agricultural export markets. In 2004 it ranked 25th in annual data and 29th in 2008, before falling to 49th in 2024 and 2025.
