Domestic trade: measures for greater equity in distribution

Ensuring priority products and maintaining regulation over those most demanded are the objectives of measures recently taken by the Ministry of Domestic Trade (Mincin).

“Many people support the control measures, even so, the country’s policy is not to incorporate products into the standard basket, but rather into the supply and demand markets. Therefore, this is a temporary situation,” explained the head of Mincin, Betsy Diaz Velazquez, in the TV Round Table.

The idea is to achieve greater equity in the distribution of those products that present instability in the commercial network and avoid hoarding, given the complex financial situation experienced by the country and the difficulties of access to traditional markets as a result of the tightening of the economic, commercial and financial blockade of the United States.

However, there is stability in the delivery of the regulated basic basket.

IN FIGURES

– 13,000 stores in Cuba.

– 19 normed products.*

– 125,000 tons of products distributed each month.

– more than one million patients on medical diets.

Francisco Silva Herrera, general director of Sales of merchandise of the Mincin, clarified, due to the existing confusion, that the personal hygiene products will not be taken to the stores and their sale will continue in the free markets, although regulatory measures will be adopted such as limiting the quantity per customer.

“We are stabilizing deodorant and floor-cleaning blankets, and in June and July all the conditions must be in place to create a stable inventory in stores,” he added.

In order to achieve greater access for self-employed workers, each territory will create wholesale markets for regulated and differentiated sales to that sector. The process should be up and running in May, said Silva Herrera. (National Newsroom)

ACCURACY

Resources are available to guarantee the layette modules planned for the year. The industry responds with more than 136,000 modules and some 50,000 cradles.

The distribution of school uniforms will take place in the near future. It has been postponed in order to guarantee organization and production.

One of Mincin’s priorities is to rescue the country’s 288 processing centers.

More than 2,100 insolvent families have benefited from the replacement of refrigeration equipment.

It is expected that during the second half of the year 100,000 induction modules will be marketed to replace electric cookers; priority is currently being given to cases under the Turquino Plan and the most vulnerable persons.

For the last quarter it is planned to resume the sale of released gas in the municipal capitals.

(Taken from Granma in Spanish)

*Products which the Domestic Trade is committed  to send to every Cuban in the Island wherever they are. These products are controlled through the ration card.