Havana, June 12 (RHC)--The president of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, participated on Tuesday in a meeting that evaluated the progress of the sugarcane harvest, the planting of cane, the repair of sugar mills, foreign investments and exports in the sector.

Diaz-Canel was briefed about preparations for the next season, the situation of the road and rail transportation, the maintenance of machinery and the training of personnel.

At the meeting, it was reported that quality is essential throughout the repair process, to avoid stops due to malfunctioning, and to achieve good industrial efficiency.

The Cuban head of state said that it is necessary to increase the rate of planting in several provinces that are lagging behind, and he called for increasing the production of derivatives and organic sugar, because these items have a high value on the international market.

The president urgent participants in the meeting to prepare the next harvest with intelligence and think well where resources are allocated, taking into consideration the situation the country is facing in terms of the climate, as well as the availability of financing and fuel.

Cuban authorities are stressing the need of bringing more efficiency to the once queen of all of the island’s industries.  The 2019 sugar harvest was extended beyond expectations because of unseasonal rain and frequent technical interruptions of the mills.

According to a Cubadebate report, the provinces that were faring best at the end of the season were Artemisa, Mayabeque, Matanzas, Villa Clara, and Sancti Spiritus.