A letter emailed in June to traders from Alimport, the Communist-run country’s food importer, said Cuba would not accept bids for delivery of chicken in August and September, “taking into account the animal health situation.” Alimport has not publicly commented on the issue and did not immediately respond to requests from Reuters to confirm the lifting of the ban.
U.S. chicken exports to Cuba totaled $147.5 million in 2014, according to the New York-based U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, which monitors the trade. Chicken accounts for about half of U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba, which are down about 40 percent this year, the council said.
