Havana - At the conclusion of four days of talks in Havana, Cuban representatives signed deals to buy more than $100 million worth of food and agricultural items from US producers, trade officials in Cuba's capital have announced.

Pedro Alvarez, head of Cuba's Alimport, the government import monopoly, said items the island would be importing include wheat, corn, rice, frozen chicken and turkey, soy, cooking oil, fruit, beans and powdered milk.

The agreement is worth $106.4 millon (R684 million), Alvarez said.

Some 405 businessmen representing 172 companies based in 30 US states participated in the first round of talks for 2004, Alvarez said.

The United States clamped a trade embargo on Cuba in 1962, but in 2000 the US Congress approved the cash sale of food and medicine, as long as the items were not transported by Cuban ships.

Some European and Asian food exporters were upset, however, noting that they sold their items on credit -- and Cuba owes them money.

Alvarez said that since imports from the United States began to enter the country, Cuba's debt with other foreign importers has begun to shrink. - AFP

Published on the web by the Business Report on April 17, 2004.