Kansas Lt. Gov. and Commerce Secretary John Moore is leading a delegation of Kansas agribusinesses to Mexico from Monday through Wednesday for the 2003
U.S.-Cuba Business Conference.

The trip's goal is to enable Kansas agricultural exports to Cuba, the Kansas Department of Commerce & Housing said in a written statement.

Companies attending the conference include Bartlett Grain of Kansas City, Kan., 21st Century Bean Processing of Sharon Springs, 21st Century Grain Merchandising of Manhattan, WATCO Cos. of Pittsburg and Tony's Pizza of Salina.

The companies will meet with Pedro Alvarez, chairman of ALIMPORT, the company run by the Cuban government that is responsible for importing food to the island nation.

"This is a follow-up to our mission to Cuba this past December, during which several Kansas agriculture organizations met with Cuban officials to discuss Kansas
agriculture products to Cuba," Moore said in the statement. "We are promoting Kansas agriculture and the quality of our agricultural goods."

Speakers will include Moore; Tony DeLio, vice president of Archer Daniels Midland; and Carlos Berroto, vice director of biotechnology food applications for Cuba. A panel of Cuban specialists will discuss the mechanics of doing business with Cuba.

In 2000, the U.S. Congress passed the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act, which reauthorized the cash-only direct commercial export of food and agricultural products from the United States to Cuba, the commerce and housing department said.

Estimates project that if trade sanctions were not in place, the United States eventually could supply half of all Cuban food imports, valued at $600 million a year.

© 2003 American City Business Journals Inc.