Domestic production, he said, must become the strength to counteract as much as possible the effects of the U.S. blockade against the country, and contribute to efforts to eliminate distortions in the economic functioning.

We must make every effort and adopt the necessary measures to stimulate it, with emphasis on agricultural and other food production, he insisted.

Our objective must be, he stressed, to protect the country’s production and, also, the producers.

Marrero pointed out that, for this reason, tariffs on some products were increased in order to discourage imports.

These are the cases of rum, beer, tobacco and cigarettes, and we will increase others, to the extent that domestic production can be guaranteed, he said.

By raising tariffs on these products, he explained, we were able to rescue 610 million pesos in the first half of the year, 500 million pesos more than the same period last year.

The objective must be to import raw materials to produce better finished products here, which we will be able to trade in the country and even export when quantities allow it, he pointed out.

Stimulating domestic production, with quality and efficiency, is a very important step to increase the offers to the population at more affordable prices, he said.

The Prime Minister appeared before the National Assembly of People’s Power (ANPP, Parliament), whose Third Ordinary Period of Sessions, in its 10th Legislature, began this Wednesday and concludes next Saturday.

Before the deputies, among them the leader of the Revolution Raul Castro, he presented a report on the progress of the Government’s Action Plan to correct distortions and boost the economy by 2024.

Last Monday and Tuesday, on the 11 parliament permanent commissions, the deputies analyzed Cuba’s main problems, with emphasis on issues related to economic performance and social programs.

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