London: After decades, Cubans are finally free to buy potatoes and peas as the staples have been dropped from the Communist island nation's ration system this week.
Previously, Cubans were entitled to buy up to four pounds of potatoes and 10 ounces of peas a month, with prices set very low. Both were available only in state-owned ration stores or on the black market.
Now, with the official buying limits gone, Cubans will now be able to buy as much of the staple products as they want without restriction, but at 20 times more than they used to -- they must pay 5 cents a pound for potatoes and 17 cents a pound for peas at the same ration shops.
That may not sound like much, but it's significant
in a country where the average salary is about USD 20 a month,
British newspaper 'The Daily Telegraph' reported.
The move came amid efforts by Raul Castro's government
to scale back Cuba's subsidy-rich, cash-poor economy. Lunches,
which cost so little that they were almost free lunches, were
eliminated from some state-cafeterias in September.
In October, the Communist Party's 'Granma' newspaper
published a full-page editorial saying the time had come to do
away with the ration books altogether. Authorities say their
goal is to encourage more productivity and free the state from
a crushing economic burden.
But, ordinary Cubans are not happy with the changes
in the ration system which began in 1962 as a temporary way to
guarantee basic food in the face of US's economic embargo.
"This is crazy. They should be adding products to the
ration book, not taking away from it. If they don't produce
enough, people will start to hoard products and things will
get even worse," said 55-year-old Roberto Rodriguez.
Agreed retiree Juana Rodriguez: "I would prefer that
the ration system continue. It assures people that they will
have food. There are many poor people who simply can't afford
to buy food on the open market."
Bureau Report
First Published: Sunday, November 08, 2009, 12:11