Cuba Economic Crisis: Staple foods and hygiene items rationed amid severe shortage

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02:48

To Cuba, where long queues have been a common sight at grocery stores, following a rationing system imposed on basic food items and other daily necessities. CGTN's Luis Chirino takes a look at this ongoing crisis.

Tahily Diaz is a young mother who, like many Cubans, is facing the current rationing of consumer goods. After queuing for hours, she was able to purchase frozen chicken rations.

The young mother supports the new government measures although rationing means less to buy and standing in long lines to get what is available.

TAHILY DIAZ TELECOMMUNICATIONS WORKER "I'm okay with the rationing because somehow everyone and particularly those of us who have kids or senior citizens with us have equitable access to the products."

But for Tahily and many other Cubans, the situation raises concerns and uncertainty.

TAHILY DIAZ TELECOMMUNICATIONS WORKER "I'm concerned about how long this rationing process and the shortage of products will last."

On May 10th, Cuban authorities announced the rationing of staple foods in all consumer good distribution centers and shops amid shortages across the island. The government will control the ration sales of hygiene products and staple items like chicken, a commodity which U.S. producers can export to Cuba under a special license and very specific conditions.

BETSY DIAZ CUBAN DOMESTIC TRADE MINISTER "Today we depend on imports from the U.S., and we have been forced to find alternatives to secure such products in our markets. We have kept on our mission to fracture all measures that the U.S. government imposes on us, and we are looking at priorities."

For economist Esteban Morales, the U.S. embargo against Cuba is only partly to blame for Cuba's economic difficulties.

ESTEBAN MORALES CUBAN ECONOMIST "The U.S. blockade has been there for 60 years, and Trump tries to strengthen it to make it more difficult for us. However, there are issues we can address by ourselves which are not connected to the U.S. blockade but related to economic policy actions we should take to achieve larger economic growth."

LUIS CHIRINO HAVANA "Authorities insists, however, that this is a temporary situation which requires initiatives to boost local food production and new market sources."

Esteban Morales also says a national effort is needed to achieve economic improvement on the island.

ESTEBAN MORALES CUBAN ECONOMIST "In order to improve our economic performance we need to bring all state, cooperative and private producers together, all property forms to work as a system if we want to increase our output of goods."

For Cubans like Tahily, the current situation poses new hurdles to everyday life and uncertainty about what comes next in terms of household economic stability. LCH CGTN HAVANA.