Alabama Trade Already Booming With Cuba
It’s been more than 50 years since the US put an embargo on Cuba.
There are only a few ways that states can trade with the nation, including medical supplies, and most importantly for Alabama, agriculture.Â
“We’ve been doing it for a long time, particularly since Alabama is such a major poultry producing state,” said Alabama Agriculture Commissioner John McMillian.
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He says that trade plays a huge part in our exports.
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In 2006, about 25 percent of the state’s agriculture trade was with Cuba.
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The cities of Mobile and Havana are even sister cities.
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McMillian says he wasn’t surprised when the president made his announcement.
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“We knew it was coming. We have met at the docks with some of the, I don’t know what the gentleman was, he would be the equivalent to an ambassador from Cuba that works in Washington out of a different country’s embassy,” said McMillian.
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As far as new opportunities? With Alabama already shipping so much between poultry as well as soy beans, McMillian isn’t expecting a boom in trade.
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“i’m one that has a wait and see attitude because for it to really be significant more than it is now is going to take Congress acting and I just can’t see that happening.”
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And it’s not just Congress that makes the future with Cuba uncertain.
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“One of the major things is we also have to remind ourselves that although there’s a great need over there there’s not a lot of resources on that end to pay for things.”
