The Cuban government has agreed to buy $20 million worth of North Dakota agriculture commodities.
The agreement was announced Oct. 6, while North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson and a group of North Dakota agri-businesses participated in an international food trade expo in Havana.
Contracts signed with the Cuban food import agency, Alimport, hold that North Dakota companies will supply Cuba with $20 million worth of yellow peas, garbanzo beans, pinto beans and other commodities during the next 18 months.
“This is a significant increase in North Dakota’s sales to Cuba, which have totaled about $21.2 million since 2002,” Johnson said.
The North Dakota delegation included Justin Flaten of JM Grains in Garrison; Jerome and Marilyn Knudson, Superior Grains in Crosby and Wayne Schmitz of Premier Pulses in Minot.