Fruits, Vegetables, And Beef - Only For Tourists In Cuba

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Buying a daily ration of bread - one roll per person

In my last post, I introduced you to the food rationing system that has been in place for the Cuban population since the inception of the Castro regime. Essentially each family is allotted only the barest of necessities in the form of a starch-laden food supply that lasts approximately ten days.

For tourists, the availability of food is a whole different world. If you are visiting Cuba you needn't worry about food because it is abundant in hotels and restaurants. You see, both are mostly owned and operated by Cuba's military.  In order to guarantee the money-making tourism gravy train the military makes certain that tourists eat well.

No shortage of food in restaurants - but for tourists only

If you're a local and don't work at the hotel or restaurant you are prohibited from setting foot inside either of these establishments. Even if you could set food inside either of these you couldn't afford to eat anything on your monthly income. As of 2016, the average monthly income for Cubans increased from $16.30 per month (408 Cuban Pesos, or CUP) to $29.60 per month (740 CUP). Food accounts for roughly 60% to 75% of a Cuban family's monthly income leaving little for an extravagance such as eating at a restaurant.

For those who are  not familiar with Cuban currency I'll discuss this in more detail in a future post. For now, simply be aware that in Cuba there are two different currencies: the Cuban National Peso or CUP (shown far left in the image); and the Cuban Convertible Peso or CUC (shown far right in the image). Distinguishing between the two currencies is easy - CUC's depict historical monuments and are multicolored. CUP's are monochromatic and depict portraits of those deemed to be heroes of Cuban revolutions.

CUP is the currency used by the government to pay salaries and it's the currency used by most local Cubans for staples, local goods, and services. CUC is the currency most often used by tourists which they must acquire after arriving on the island by exchanging their country's for CUCs. "Luxury" items, goods and services relating to the tourism industry, and imported products can only be acquired with CUCs.

There is a huge difference in value between the National Peso (CUP) and the Convertible Peso (CUC). One CUP is worth approximately $.04. One CUC is worth approximately $1.00, but when exchanging dollars to CUCs you must pay a 10% conversion fee that goes straight into the pocket of Cuba's military elite so in reality a dollar is only worth $.90 in CUCs.

You didn't think Raul Castro was going to let you waltz into Cuba and not profit in every conceivable way from American tourists, did you?

But I digress. Let's get back to the discussion on food.

Restaurants will end up with almost all of this produce from a free market

It is theoretically possible for the local population to supplement the monthly ration, or obtain what is not available at a bodega, with items bought at free markets, supermarkets, or through the black market. These markets sell goods using only CUCs so unless a person deals with tourists and gets his or her hands on CUCs they will not have the necessary currency.

Making matters worse, prices at these markets are out of reach for the typical family. One quart of milk can cost as much as $21, or almost 75% of the average person's monthly income.

But let's assume you can clear the first two hurdles - you don't care how much you have to pay for an item and you have the correct currency. So far so good. But that still doesn't mean you'll end up with that fresh tomato or that green pepper you so badly want.

Fruits, vegetables, and meat are coveted by restaurants. Supplies are gone the instant they appear at a market. Beer and soda are also quickly snapped up in bulk by restaurants.

To ensure a steady supply, these businesses often make deals with the market owners to pre-buy these items long before they arrive. Even if they don't cut such deals, restaurants are tipped off well ahead of time when and where the items will arrive and restaurant employees arrive early to buy out any items that are needed. That leaves local Cubans with minimal quantities of whatever might be left over at exorbitant prices.

Most Cubans can't remember the last time they bought an onion, a green pepper, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, or cilantro. Garlic, pineapples, and limes are also a rarity and avocados are a figment of the average person's imagination.

It's not as if these items can't be found. It's just that they will never find their way into a typical Cuban household. But that's just life in Cuba. And it's been that way for sixty years.

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