Extending soybean planting throughout the province of Pinar del Río today constitutes a possibility to promote programs that, such as pig production, are depressed by the high costs of imported feed.
With more than 100 hectares of grain planted, the expectation gradually becomes a palpable reality after being implemented in several municipalities in Pinar del Río, and although the drought causes progress in some cases better than in others, the farmers find the motivation to venture into the new experience.
According to Ortelio Rodríguez Perugorría, subdelegate in the Provincial Delegation of Agriculture, the intention is to create a culture of soybean cultivation among producers, with the purpose of guaranteeing the necessary seed to, in a second sowing stage, reach the 1 000 hectares in the territory.
“We already have more than 40 hectares planted in the main municipality, 20 in Consolación del Sur, 14 in Los Palacios, 22 in the Grain Agroindustrial Company of that municipality, and small amounts in Mantua, Viñales and in the Macurijes de Guane Agroforestry Company .
“The soybean oxidizes very quickly, so its conservation conditions are complex. At the moment we select producers and areas with irrigation machinery and with the type of soil that it requires, but the intention is to extend it to anyone who is willing and has the seed”, explains Rodríguez Perugorría.
He adds that previously there was a taboo that planting soybeans in soils destined for tobacco was not recommended, because it could bring diseases to the solanaceous, but in reality it is those same diseases that attack the bean and it has always been planted in the province. without difficulty.
In this first stage -stresses the sub-delegate- the main destination is for seeds. That is why it was agreed with the peasants that they deliver 50 percent of the production for that purpose.
“It would be a very attractive price when they make the sale, because if before the quintal was around 5,000 pesos, now it must be paid a little better. That will be defined as soon as the official cost sheet is established.
“In the case of pork, they also pay very well, because for them it is much cheaper to buy it in Cuba than to import it. In fact, they are already focused on grain contracts with these producers, and even support oil in the cultivation work ”, he points out.
NEW EXPERIENCE IN “BARCÓN”
Several peasants from the UEB Hermanos Barcón Productive Pole joined the sowing of the legume. Amaury Villanzón Sánchez decided to incorporate it into the production of various crops and on 10 hectares many of the plants already show their pods.
“It’s a new experience and we think it’s going to work. Even the Minister of Agriculture was here and talked with us about the need to venture into cultivation and we launched.
“The truth is that if you don’t go ‘up’ to the mess, you achieve nothing. Mine is already sprayed with herbicide, because yes, it demands attention, but fortunately we have an irrigation machine that helps a lot, ”she warns.
Sergio Travieso, director of the UEB, acknowledges that at first they had difficulties planting, since they had never worked with soybeans before in “Barcón”. With the visit of Ydael Pérez Brito, minister of the branch, and other officials, they corrected the technical instructions and they have already completed more than 50 hectares in the pole.
“It is one more bean, so we sow at a rate of 22 grains per meter. We chose areas where we have center pivot systems and others where it is irrigated by gravity.
“It is a crop that is harvested between 100 and 110 days. The indication is to sow it, fertilize it and not touch it anymore. Then, between 30 and 35 days, a herbicide must be applied, in this case four liters of glyphosate per hectare, and it is ready for harvest, which is done with combines, in a similar way to rice”, explains the manager.
Rodríguez Perugorría remarks that, although in this first stage the essential thing is to produce the seed, the will to extend the cultivation would contribute to the animal feed that the pig sector needs to increase the volumes of pork in the territory and also to the extraction of oil vegetable.
