MINSK, 4 June (BelTA) – Cuba is interested in the Belarusian experience of forest management and sees a great potential for cooperation with Belarusian forestry enterprises. The statement was made by Cuban Agriculture Minister Gustavo Rodriguez Rollero as he met with Belarusian Forestry Minister Vitaly Drozhzha, the press service of the Belarusian Forestry Ministry told BelTA.
According to the Cuban agriculture ministry, forests occupy 30% of Cuba's territory now. Respectively the country's leadership pays rather close attention to the matter. About 300 million Cuban pesos is appropriated for forestry development every year. Forest harvesting is a priority avenue.
Chairman of the agriculture and forestry farming entrepreneurship group of the Cuban Agriculture Ministry Miguel Angel Arregi Martinez noted that the delegation had carefully studied the Belarusian forest management experience before coming to Belarus. “We know you work hard to keep your forests in order, to use forests as a resource, and to build forestry roads. We would like to establish cooperation in all these areas,” he added.
Miguel Angel Arregi Martinez also added that more concrete avenues of cooperation can be determined after specialists of the entrepreneurship group visit Belarus another time. Studying the quality of work of forest harvesting equipment will be high on the agenda of the visit.
In turn, Belarusian Forestry Minister Vitaly Drozhzha stressed that Belarusian wood growers are always open to dialogue. Enterprises accountable to the Belarusian Forestry Ministry have been switching to mechanized forest harvesting for the last few years. Cuba may be interested in the experience. “Over 50% of the wood is harvested by machines these days. We invest heavily in it. I'd like to note that the Belarusian woodworking industry meant to produce timber, furniture, and other products is actively developing,” he noted.
