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Cuba has lifted a ban on imports of U.S. long-grain rice that it put in
place last year because of fears about genetic contamination.
Raul Sanchez, director of the U.S. division of the island's food import
company Alimport, said Friday the ban was lifted earlier this month. He said
that in recent weeks Cuba has imported 30,000 tons of long-grain U.S. rice
and expects to import 10,000 more soon.

A U.S. announcement in August that American long-grain rice samples had
tested positive for trace amounts of a genetically modified strain not
approved for consumption prompted Japan to suspend its U.S. rice imports.
Cuba imposed a ban of its own after conducting independent testing, Sanchez
said.

Sanchez, who spoke during a meeting with U.S. medical company
representatives, did not provide details about exactly when or why the ban
was lifted, suggesting only that U.S. long-grain rice no longer appeared to
be a problem.

Washington's 45-year-old embargo against communist Cuba chokes off most
trade between the two countries but U.S. companies can sell medicine and
medical supplies directly to the country under the 1992 Cuban Democracy Act.
A law approved in 2000 authorized cash-only payments for U.S. food and
agricultural products.

Sanchez said that so far this year Cuba has spent $196.8 million on American
food and agricultural products after spending $578.8 million for all of
2006. Cuba includes the amounts it pays for shipping and other logistical
costs when divulging the total amount paid for U.S. goods.

Addressing representatives from Mercury Medical, a Florida medical supply
company spending two days in Cuba to show off some of its equipment, Sanchez
said that since 2001, Cuba has spent $2.2 billion on American food and farm
products, but nearly $340 million of that went to shipping.

The New York-based U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council attempts to estimate
the amount Cuba spent on U.S. imports without taking into account logistical
costs.

It reported that the island bought about $340 million in American food and
agricultural products last year - down about 3 percent from 2005. The
council puts the total amount Cuba spent on U.S. food and agricultural
products at $1.5 billion since December 2001.

"Despite all the limitations that have been imposed on these (exports), Cuba
and Alimport have been able to fulfill every one of their U.S. contracts.
Not one single contract has been canceled," Sanchez said. "We have been able
to convey to the agricultural community of the United States just how
professional and serious this country's organizations are."

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