USA/Cuba Trade Rises

The United States became Cuba's seventh most important trade partner in 2003, according to Cuba's Foreign Trade Minister, Raul de la Nuez Ramirez.

The trade exchange between the USA and Cuba is constantly rising, De la Nuez added.

The USA exported $343.9 mln (275.9 mln euro) worth of goods, mainly agricultural products, to Cuba in 2003. The U.S. agricultural products imported into Cuba in 2003 were soy, soybean oil, maize, grain and rice, the president of the independent, non-government U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, John Kavulich, said.

Cuba started importing food products from the USA in 2000, when the USA eased the trade embargo on the Caribbean nation.

Venezuela, Spain, China, Canada, the Netherlands, Italy, the USA, Mexico, France and Russia concentrated 72 pct of Cuba's trade exchange in 2003, De la Nuez said.

No comparative figures were available.