Bootheel rice arrives in Cuba

Business Today

Rice from Stoddard County has arrived in Cuba, and the Cubans are making some making additional purchases of American agricultural commodities .

Eighth District U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson recently said the Cubans have made some additional purchases in addition to rice purchased in recent months. During the January break in Congress Emerson made her second in less than a year to Cuba in an effort to encourage the island nation to buy more U.S. agricultural commodities.

"They have actually made some second-round purchases from Tyson for chicken quarters," she said. Some of the chicken quarters, she added, came from the Dexter Tyson plant.

"We have sold $43 million worth of commodities since December."

She said Cuban officials have been very smart in their purchases of American goods, working with a number of states and developing good relationships.

"We have about a billion and a quarter dollars worth of exports that we could be making to Cuba," she said. "This is a real opportunity for us and I just absolutely refuse to let it go down the tubes."