Havana, February 10 (RHC-PL) -- Azcuba Sugar Group seeks to increase the production of bagasse boards and diversify the uses of this fiber, to achieve higher added value in those products, an official source said Monday.

The restoration of the "Cardenas," "Primero de Enero" and "Jesus Menendez" bagasse board plants -- located in the country's west, central and eastern regions -- is being carried out with those objectives, Carlos Gonzalez, director of sugarcane by-products at the Business Group Azcuba, told Prensa Latina news agency.

The objective is to recover the facilities, increase the volume and quality of that sector and develop its diversification with the production of melamine boards and molded products.

According to the executive, they are also working on a proposal to produce bagasse-cement boards, used for constructive purposes due to its strength and lower cost.

Cuba had seven bagasse board plants in the 1980s and an annual production capacity of that artificial wood of more than 200,000 metric tons.