Havana, January 14 (RHC) -– The progressive growth of Cuban sugar production needs better exploitation of the lands and available resources, said Vice President Jose Ramon Machado Ventura during a visit to sugar mills in eastern Holguin and Las Tuna provinces.

Accompanied by local government and Communist Party authorities during his tour of local sugar mills in Holguin province, Machado Ventura insisted on the need to increase the yield of sugar cane plantations, through the planting of idle areas and higher efficiency and using sugar cane varieties that provide larger sugar content.

As to investments in sugar mills, Machado pointed to using the current equipment in a more rational manner and purchase what really leads to technological improvement.

Other aspects of interests addressed by the Cuban vice president was the by-products obtained during the cane harvest, like alcohol, syrups and baggase, some of which are used for animal feed.

The most recent figures show that the four mills operating in Holguin province produced 4,000 tons of sugar, over their production schedules, while another sugar mill will soon join the harvest.

Sugar production in Holguin is expected to grow in order to reach over 300,000 tons by 2018.

In Las Tunas, Machado also insisted on the need to achieve appropriate planting of sugar cane in order to boost stable and efficient sugar production.