-DATE19920427 -YEAR1992 -DOCUMENT TYPE-AUTHOR-HEADLINECastro Tours Alquizar Farm, Praises Workers -PLACECARIBBEAN / Cuba -SOURCEHavana Tele Rebelde Network

-REPORT NO.FBIS-LAT-92-082 -REPORT DATE19920428 -HEADER======================================================================= Report Type: Daily report AFS Number: FL2804132092 Report Number: FBIS-LAT-92-082 Report Date: 28 Apr 92 Report Series: Daily Report Start Page: 2 Report Division: CARIBBEAN End Page: 3 Report Subdivision: Cuba AG File Flag: Classification: UNCLASSIFIED Language: Spanish Document Date: 27 Apr 92 Report Volume: Tuesday Vol VI No 082 Dissemination: City/Source of Document: Report Name: Headline: Havana Tele Rebelde Network

Latin America Castro Tours Alquizar Farm, Praises Workers

Author(s): Mariela Diaz at the Alquizar Miscellaneous Crops Enterprise, on 27 April-recorded] Source Line: 27 Apr 92 FL2804132092 Havana Tele Rebelde Network in Spanish 2300 GMT

Subslug: [``Excerpts'' of interview with President Fidel Castro by Mariela Diaz at the Alquizar Miscellaneous Crops Enterprise, on 27 April-recorded] -TEXTFULL TEXT OF ARTICLE: 1. [``Excerpts'' of interview with President Fidel Castro by Mariela Diaz at the Alquizar Miscellaneous Crops Enterprise, on 27 April-recorded] 2. [Text] [Castro] What do I think of the province? Well, I think that the two provinces, Havana and Havana City, are working very well together, because, of course, this province alone-without the mobilization of 20,000 workers from

Havana City-could not have won the potato war. We do not know what could have happened without the mobilization. But the fact is that the potatoes were harvested and are stored away in refrigerated facilities. Now we have potatoes to supply almost 3 million people and for state-run entities. The people think that there is a lot; there is enough, but the number of people is also high. 3. Certain figures have been mentioned I do not think are correct. It has been said that the eight-pound potato quota will last until December. I do not think that such figures should be issued. Because, first of all-there are several reasons-we have to keep an eye on the cold-storage centers. A malfunction could occur at any time. Something could affect the inventory, and the weight of the potatoes decreases as the months go by. Therefore, toward the end you have at least 100,000 fewer quintals as a result of the decreasing weight of the potatoes. Furthermore, we have to supply almost 3 million people, as I said before, besides the state entities. In addition, you always have to maintain a reserve in case we have to help another city or province at a certain time. As a matter of fact, during the recent harvest we distributed some potatoes, just as cabbage was also distributed to other provinces. You always have to put some away, so you can take a pound or two and help another province at a certain time. 4. That is why we can say that there is not enough to last until December at the eight-pound rate in the capital. We also have to keep in mind Havana Province, besides consumption at the state entities, which is high. Do you understand? In other words, we need 250,000 quintals a month. I do not think that we can say that the potatoes will last until December if we distribute them at the eight-pound rate. We might have to issue smaller quotas during the off months, June, July, August. Later on, issue a little less, and in that manner we can prolong it. But, above all, we have to have certain amounts available in case we have to help another city. We do not know if we are going to have a hurricane or something else happens. Maybe we will have to help Havana. We have to see what happens. We depend a lot on plantains, yet the hurricane season is coming, not only rain but also hurricanes, and that is dangerous for the plantains. 5. 6. [Diaz] I asked you more than two questions. [Castro] Keep going, keep going.

7. [Diaz] I wanted to comment on something to you. A concern exists among miscellaneous crops enterprise managers. Some are of the opinion that planting beans now is an extremely expensive investment. 8. [Castro] Well, if you knew that a few days ago...[pauses] What day did we hold the meeting? 9. 10. [Unidentified speaker] Wednesday. [Castro] Last Wednesday. What was the date?

11.

[Unidentified speaker] 23, 22 April.

12. [Castro] On 22 April we had a meeting. We were making a few adjustments in the crops we considered could take too much work force. We made some adjustments and rationalized things. We gave priority to yuca, boniato, plantains, corn, and cucumbers. We reduced the amount of beans to be planted, and we decided....[rephrases] We are studying where they are growing, where they are on the ground, where they are up on stakes. They are in better condition both on the ground and on stakes, for planting. But an adjustment was made in the plans for cucumber and eggplant, also. Because eggplant must be planted earlier. There were some problems with the seedlings. There was also an adjustment in the plan for garlic. 13. It must also be said that the work force has been rationalized, seeing where the major force must be concentrated in these days, precisely because although we have the camps and all the mobilized workers, there are many things to be done. There is also the corn, among the crops that must be taken care of in these days. We must prepare the soil and plant the corn, in addition to boniato, yuca, plantains, and cucumbers. So there were adjustments in these plans, on 23 April at a meeting we had with all the miscellaneous crops enterprises. 14. [Diaz] Do you have a special message for the workers before 1 May, Commander? 15. [Castro] Well, a special message would be to ask them to continue working as they have done up to now, and ask them to win the battle of spring planting to ensure the tubers, vegetables, and food for the off months, and congratulate them especially for 1 May. 16. -END[Diaz] Thank you.