INTELLIGENCE HANDBOOK CUBA: FOREIGN TRADE

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
U
Document Page Count: 
23
Document Creation Date: 
December 15, 2016
Document Release Date: 
August 18, 2003
Sequence Number: 
10
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
July 1, 1975
Content Type: 
REPORT
File: 
AttachmentSize
PDF icon CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5.pdf571.32 KB
Body: 
Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 Intelligence Handbook Cuba: Foreign Trade A (ER) 75.69 Auly 1975 Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 This publication is prepared for the use of U.S. Government officials. The format, coverage, and contents of the publi- cation are designed to meet the specific requirements of governmental users. All inquiries concerning this document from non-U.S. Covernment users aa;e to be addressed to: Document Expediting (DOCEX) Project Exchange and Cift Division Library of Congress Washington, D.C. 20540 Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 Cuba: Foreign Trade July 1975 Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 This handbook on Cuba's international trade was prepared as a research aid. It contains (a) a short discussion of trends in Cuban trade since the Castro takeover in 1959, with emphasis on developments in 1974; (b) statistics on the value, direction, and composition of trade (see Tables 1-10); economic assistance received from the USSR (see Table 11); and recent loan extensions by non-Communist countries (see Table 12); and (c) background material on the economy and on Cuban trading enterprises (see T2b1c3 13-14). The trade data in this handbook through 1972 are based mainly on official Cuban data. Statistics for 1973-74 are based largely on (a) data supplied by Cuba to the International Sugar Organization and (b) estimates derived from data published by Cuba's Communist and non-Communist trading partners. The estimates of Soviet balance-of-payments and developmental assistance reflect (a) drawings to cover Cuban trade deficits with the USSR, (b) estimated accrual of Cuban liabilities for interest on the outstanding debt to the USSR, and (c) other invisibles such as a portion of the wages of Soviet technicians in Cuba and other small movements of short-term Soviet capital to Cuba. Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 CUBA: FOREIGN TRADE Trade Trends G?-efore 1974 1. CW1;n is the world's largest sugar exporter and has long been dependent on sugar for most of its export earnings (see Figure 1). Despite spasmodic efforts CUBA: Trade Trends M114 M ON US $ 3,58 Figure 1 by the Castro government to diversify the economy, sugar sales consistently made up about three-quarters of total export earnings from 1959 to 1973. As a result of both low world sugar prices and a failure to achieve sustained increases in sugar production, Cuban export earnings remained largely stagnant until 1973. Rising Soviet and world sugar prices ena!,lcd Cud-.;n receipts to jump sharpy in that year. Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 2. About $4.4 billion in Soviet development and balance-of-payments assistance since the Castro takeover in 1959 has permitted the Cuban economy to invest and consume beyond itu means. Cuba has recorded consistently large trade deficits throughout the Castro regin: , averaging about $255 million annually. 3. Cuban imports t'.re dominated by capital goods, industrial raw materials, and petroleum, mimicking the industrial orientation of its Communist tutors. Foodstuff - chiefly wheat, flour, and rice - made up about 20% of total imports. Imports accounted for about 35% of the country's food supply. Communist countries, mainly the USSR, provided about three-quarters of total Cuban imports. Western Europe supplied most of the remainder. Soa&ing Exports in 1974 4. Cuba's exports rose dramatically in 1974 on wings of unprecedented sugar prices, permitting Havana to post its first trade surplus since the Castro takeover (see Figure 2). Export earnings soared to an estimated $2.7 billion, double the 1973 level, as increased sugar production was paired with record sugar prices. Bolstered by increased export earnings which encouraged a large inflow of trade credits from its non-Communist trading partners, Cuban imports rose by 44%% to $2.45 billion. 5. Sugar dominated the composition of commodity exports more than ever in 1974, accounting for about 90%% of the total. An 8%, increase in raw sugar output to 5.8 million metric tons and record world and Communist market sugar prices boosted earnings from sugar about 125/x, to nearly $2.5 billion. Exports of shellfish, which have been rising steadily, grew another 19% in 1974 as a result of a larger catch and rising world prices. On the other hand, generally stagnant nickel, tobacco, and citrus production helped to keep sales of these items at approximately 1973 levels. 6. Cuba has not yet published import data for 1974 (or 1973). The relative importance of the major categories of goods probably did not change significantly from previous years. The high priority given investment suggests continued high levels of machinery and transportation equipment imports. thereby precluding any major shift toward nonfood consumer items. Failure to significantly expand food production other than sugar or to discover domestic petroleum supplies suggests continued large purchases of these commodities as well. Because of large increases in the prices of goods imported from the developed Western world, the real gain in imports obviously was substantially less than the rise in value. a Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 CUBA: Trade Balances Expanding Relations with the West Figure 2 7. High world sugar prices and a stronger domestic economy enabled I l: vana in 1974 to expand its commercial ties with Western countries, which in turn have been eager to exploit the Cuban market. Hard currency earnings nearly tripled. to about SI.3 billion, as a result of an I8'h increase in the volume of sugar exports and a near tripling of the average price received from world ma!kct sugar sales, to about 25 cents per pound. Bolstered by increasing trade credits from these countries. Cuban haporis from the non-Communist world doubled to about S850 million. 35% of total imports. compared with a 27' average in 11971.73. Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 A rov d For F~elease 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 irban-soviet Ties Remain Strong 8. Despite growing commercial links with the West, Havana remains closely tied to the Soviet economy. The Soviets accounted for about two-fifths of Cuba's total trade in 1974 (see Figure 3) and continued to provide for virtually all of CUBA: Direction of Trade Figure 3 27 32 28 24 23 22 20 19 18 99 48 48 48 55 48 46 48 49 41 41 29 23 24 21 32 32 32 1959 1991 19112 1965 1997 1969 1971 1972 1973 1974 its petroleum needs and a major share or its imports of capital equipment and foodstuffs. In addition, Mcr..cow furnished Havana about S275 million in balance-of-payments and development credits, bringing the total amount of such assistance to about S4.4 billion since 1961. Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : Cl$-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 Other Communist Countries Ron- Communist Countries Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 Prospects for 1975 9. Cuba's trade surplus will diminish and could well disappear in 1975. Lower sugar output and declining world sugar prices will hold export earnings to about the $2.7 billion level of 1974. Strengthened by large new Western credits, imports on the other hand will probably increase to at least match exports. Cuba: Foreign Trade Overview 1958 1961 1963 1965 1967 1969 1971 1972 1973' 1974' Total exports (f.o.b.) 742 626 545 691 705 671 860 837 1 380 2 745 Communist countries U 18 460 365 529 568 446 555 446 , 880 , 1,485 SSR 14 304 164 323 366 233 304 244 565 935 Eastern Europe Negl. 63 125 103 113 130 160 137 210 375 Far East 4 93 76 103 89 83 91 65 105 17S Non-Communist countries 724 166 180 162 137 225 305 391 500 1 260 Total imports (c.i.f.) 860 707 832 866 999 1,222 1,387 1,297 700 1 , 2 450 Communist countries USSR 2 498 697 649 784 902 969 996 , 1,225 , 1,600 Negl. 294 461 428 582 669 731 778 950 1 175 Eastern Europe F F 2 104 145 98 119 139 143 126 ISO , 225 ar ast Negl. 100 91 123 83 94 95 92 125 200 Non-Communist countries 858 709 135 217 215 320 418 301 475 850 Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 Cuba: Exports to Communist Countries Million US $ (f.o.b.) 1958 1961 1963 1965 1967 1969 1971 1972 1973' 1974' Total 18 460 365 529 568 446 555 446 880 1,485 USSR 14 304 164 323 366 233 304 244 565 935 Eastern Europe Negl. 63 125 103 113 130 160 137 210 375 Albania 0 0 1 1 1 Negl. 2 1 2 1 Bulgaria 0 6 9 21 24 27 31 26 65 90 Czecho- slovakia Ncgl. 22 38 46 41 43 44 42 45 70 East Germany 0 9 40 28 36 38 49 42 55 125 Hungary Negl. 1 12 2 4 5 12 8 11 24 Poland 0 24 18 4 6 7 7 7 14 25 Romania 0 1 7 1 1 10 15 11 18 40 Far East 4 93 76 103 89 83 91 65 105 175 China 4 91 73 100 79 64 67 48 73 140 Mongolia 0 0 0 0 Negl. Ncgl. NegI. I Negl. Negl. North Korea 0 2 2 2 8 18 23 15 27 32 North Vietnam 0 0 1 1 2 1 1 1 5 3 Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 Cuba: Exports to Non-Communist Countries Million US $ (f.o..b 1958 1961 1963 1965 1967 1969 1971 1972 1973' 1974' Total 724 166 180 162 137 225 305 391 500 1,260 Belgium- Luxem- bourg 3 Negl. 2 1 2 3 3 4 4 4 Canada 16 4 14 5 5 7 11 12 17 76 Egypt Negi. 12 15 7 6 6 4 4 1 5 France 8 1 2 10 15 14 6 8 12 11 Italy Negl. 1 19 7 6 11 9 15 21 24 Japan 47 27 21 21 18 67 100 149 182 440 Morocco 12 10 27 15 11 13 15 5 10 25 Nether- lands 16 6 11 4 4 22 6 10 18 15 Spain 18 8 23 34 33 41 36 44 55 175 United Kingdom 37 9 31 13 13 14 17 12 33 46 United States 498 29 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 West Germany 8 5 1 1 1 1 2 3 4 5 Other 61 54 14 44 23 26 96 125 143 434 7 Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 Cuba: Exports, by Major Commodity Million US $ (f.o.b.) 1958 1961 1963 1965 1967 1969 1971 1972 1973' 1974' Total 742 626 545 691 705 671 860 837 1,380 2,745 Sugar 587 540 473 591 599 503 657 616 1,110 2,470 Raw sugar 496 495 389 511 520 408 634 596 1,090 2,445 Refined sugar 61 37 70 68 65 80 Molasses 30 8 14 12 14 15 23 20 20 25 Minerals 37 36 35 50 54 92 135 125 165 165 Nickel 28 29 32 40 44 86 135 124 164 164 Other 9 7 3 10 10 6 0 1 1 1 Tobacco 49 38 22 33 30 42 32 40 42 35 Raw 37 32 15 19 11 14 14 15 13 10 Manuff c- tures 12 6 7 14 19 28 18 25 29 25 Foodstuffs 22 4 4 5 10 28 36 52 58 70 Of which: Fish and shell- fish 4 1 1 3 5 13 21 28 42 50 Fruit 2 1 1 i 1 2 3 5 12 15 Rum 1 1 Negl. 1 2 3 1 3 4 5 Other 47 8 11 12 12 6 0 4 5 5 8 Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 1958 1961 1963 1965 1967 1969 1971 1972 . 1973 1974' Total 249 4,791 2,067 3,525 3,866 2,808 3,278 2,294 3 012 3 270 USSR 188 3,303 973 2,1102 2,473 1,352 1,81 1,097 , 1 661 , 1 900 Eastern Europe 11 456 560 584 703 796 960 696 , 834 , 820 Albania 0 0 6 11 4 0 23 15 14 20 Bulgaria 0 57 56 158 195 205 211 154 213 200 Czecho. slovakia 0 25 1.50 245 215 224 190 151 163 170 East Germany 0 112 244 170 250 253 338 243 259 260 Hungary 11 0 U 0 17 17 59 38 52 45 Poland 0 262 104 0 22 28 30 22 55 50 Romanlu 0 0 0 0 0 69 109 73 78 75 Far East 50 :,032 534 831 690 660 737 501 517 550 China 50 1,032 501 7443 556 445 464 295 302 380 Mongolia 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 11 3 20 North Korea 0 0 20 21 83 155 197 119 136 75 North Vietnam 0 0 13 66 46 60 76 76 76 75 1. Provisional, 2. Excluding 346,000 tons shipped to the USSR on Chinese account in repayment of a 1961 loan. 3. Including 346,000 tons shipped to the USSR. Table 5 Cuba: Sugar Exports to Communist Countries Thousand Metric Tons Raw Sugar Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 Table 6 Cuba: Sugar Exports to Non-Communist Countries Thousand Metric Tons, Raw Sugar 1958 1961 1963 1965 1967 1969 1971 19772 1973 1974' Total 5,383 1,623 1,454 1,790 1,817 1,991 2,233 1,846 1,785 2,100 Algeria 0 0 5 18 43 42 25 25 6 15 Canada 190 16 70 69 66 80 73 31 47 115 Egypt 0 75 78 125 114 69 43 21 5 N.A. Finland 0 5 0 0 21 0 12 16 26 72 Iran 10 61 10 73 71 0 25 52 0 N.A. Iraq 18 35 37 126 42 22 52 56 0 N.A. Japan 556 423 161 415 542 1,018 912 909 985 1,200 Kenya 0 0 0 0 0 0 46 27 38 N.A. Malaysia 0 0 0 0 119 105 141 88 29 60 Morocco 156 157 285 182 153 176 165 55 62 50 Singapore 0 0 0 0 0 37 38 0 14 N.A. Spain b9 53 103 174 159 182 82 98 104 350 Sweden 34 1 15 42 22 10 47 65 56 50 Syria 38 75 21 62 64 87 116 101 107 N.A. United Kingdom 487 79 174 113 70 43 51 29 122 60 United States 3,240 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Yugo- slavia 2 34 11 85 65 67 72 43 12 N.A. Other 583 609 484 306 266 53 333 230 172 128 10 Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 Cuba: Imports from Communist Countries Million US c1f;l 19SB 1961 1963 1965 1967 1969 1971 1972 191/3' 1974' Total 2 498 697 649 784 902 969 996 1,225 1,600 USSR Ncgl. 294 461 428 S82 669 731 778 950 1,175 Eastern Europe 2 104 145 98 119 139 143 126 150 235 Albania 0 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 I Bulgaria 0 10 5 16 20 26 25 34 32 55 Czechoslovakia 2 29 55 36 36 28 31 33 4) 62 East Germany 0 26 36 25 50 43 63 39 50 55 Hungary Ncgl. 9 12 8 4 3 8 8 7 13 Poland Ncgl. 21 29 8 7 4 2 2 11 14 Romania Negl. 8 7 4 1 34 13 9 8 25 Fur East Ncgl. 100 91 123 83 94 95 92 125 200 China Negl. 99 87 120 73 80 79 76 100 170 Mongolia 0 Negl. Ncgl. 0 IVcgl. Neg). Ncgl. Negl. Ncgl. Negi. North Korea 0 1 3 3 10 14 15 15 23 28 North Vietnam 0 n I Meg). Ncgl. Ncgl. 1 1 2 2 Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 Cuba: Imports from Non-Communist Counirks W111krn 0 $ (e, L 1958 1961 1963 1965 1967 1969 1971 1972 19731 19741 Total 959 209 135 217 215 320 418 301 475 1450 Belgium-Luxembourg 14 4 2 6 5 3 5 7 14 51) Canada 20 39 II IS 9 14 27 10 41 Mi Egypt NcN. I I I I 11 8 5 S 2 6 It France 8 8 6 19 41 47 63 20 32 1l0 Italy 11 4 1 5 31 36 55 13 24 45 Japan S 12 S 4 9 10 60 49 121 225 Mexico 6 6 2 3 6 Nell. Neg1. 14 8 1.1 Morocco Nell. 2 14 5 S 9 4 2 2 'l Nethcrlandt. 8 12 8 6 14 6 16 7 12 3$ Spain 14 6 14 47 29 48 33 17 42 61 U'nti d Kingdom 24 17 11 50 29 66 61 47 47 60 United States 581 26 Ncgl.' 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Venezuela 72 Nell, 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Nell. West Germany 33 18 12 S 12 30 17 23 36 105 Other 62 44 38 41 17 46 72 78 90 81 1. Prrvtskn'.I. i. Excluding US ransom p.ymeni in kind velued.t 135 mplkon. It Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 Cuba! tmpiw , by 14 t Cmm~tnr by C.trMI 'r?rt.i 1,103 1,122 1r1 1 cr0 t.aft4ine Ttanapnttatkm equipment' 123 90 199 120 r,0 10 R6 . . 1.1 ` A A I.?I.,rmnti*t 1.4 NA. 2 NA Ir.A.. at, 7 I 111 t' Au hmxrhik, ttvcki 160* 193 1 N,A ' I.4t7 N A. N A. 747 2.017 1.(1 3 1.474' 2.2'" . i.A. 114 2.91* 2. 2 1.712 3 271 ? 2u : X112' 2 t:t' 11u,r. 76 NA 712 430 11t 62 . ~"4tt . . I'J 7$' 7 ttach,tr, 2.404 N A .1.44.1 6,474 r'.219 lt.R * 7.012 1,024 4.002' 1 t R& 1 +~ "thhn? t,r +aikyaa. ~. ha~hM,sNl it la,prrtt. tr?1R $ ' t [1t . 4 4iRkWI ,pwr an'*1% 14 Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 We: E0. onok Amwo r Pant,, Ow UM Mat tusIt 1%147 I$* 1W 1070 1171 1972 1971' 1974' Itttnttc+!+tf itr~ttrtais tt 4 fi d 1.1q 1 412 dye 211 Etta rt1$ a 1$ 271 l e e cff t rsllhxt f*?a., .hstr.a Z OV40*061 ef It1 !o etfiett*v~ I.g 0411nt1 Io Alte(t lrtfsiftt~.r lMYMre~it stytts0 o, 11 1 s. r~iNllSkrV F4 fry f1lf~kth 101 !' 011 s$4. rt.~ t0. $ so ettitt tte+A 111 of okvo 0#0.011 M 1914 ff4hvuiwt 11aHkat.r $ L s. %-** (' $j that rat brat tome an tepswt+atnt, lhtt two, teptrtr01lt 4'bitt't 4eh+ to th. 11%14 to 111t2 the 17%vto l U'O'J t ?Ypryfrre plt?011) 1att t+ pml1+!toe fhe hr ktolNt of . 4 1 stand ?r+" .4 "*a# 6+I*4t pat ttatvlt I. etfo%*N4 It the 4144te01(V hetrrero qrt to$" ..f "Oat @* "It on ow 4'1511 +mM flat rsiae .4 l1* . erprwle (1 011 a#04 s1 the rr!tstr purr 1.w f v01601 wfst 4nM n. the 11"M M*0%ef It 1! Eft 4 re4 s 0#M! ivy is* I*%", std It tart *$$ .i to "PS1 ratM Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5 "be: Meet K%1 castors of M* w !4t-Car w W M4 U s& ttidstt Vam tote NOW t iwttry (M* M* Ulf If AWflotited tetra At ttlina I. flit Anti 1911 44#90 "400" ettdilt Irs+t a putchate ++f Atpentity tndwttti,f and itan.(w+ttatir.n gq++lpmehl, !c, t^t rcpa:4 in sw tieart itr.rn tine fVf dtitrety M 9w Dec 11414 t-ade ctr4itt foot thr (wrrchate +r' panlth chips and * w9e pfattt? t)niled Klnit4nm '$0 War IQli ~{edncm term cttdilt a! lea than ~. I ~`y ptt teat hs pytchaae 04 h+itith srilal ~rw.dt FtancY 1Sg )sn 1't15 !(edium tttm aictea with t'apitaltat t'~runbw* Kichstd~-t'sMiua ki.i- !1r+cialiat t'~ntntttea tktninH' t 4tcia l ama the t?!~9iS C:etman AmaEkt-Illancn Fetnandet rater"- i irrefat KtVatasibaiiies Impnt AIJMPt)Rt Kk.atda 1 a tta Msttinet 1=~>+?datuffa. liYearaci AViAIMPOKT tdustdn Matiinet Vaklet Aircraft. navigAtkm cgutptarent ('C)NSVOINI C)RT (Hepti, C'stielka C.mattucikni eq~+iptnent CC/N5t-MIMPCilt 1u,* Luia Mettle Russ Comunncr durahka CI111AC"t)NTROL I ddy Ram" turf Control, astpenitet. and in, q+ecta etpurra and ImpKnta Ct111AIIII)RAVIA-A Ant;miu Kiamhau Martina, lttikatkm equipment C(IHAMi;TALI::S t)ioni.inti A.-ant Tttnmla All metsla. wiry. fuel CV11AP15('A Rolando Atwater Atwater oohing equipment C'UBATI X taasc Ahat al Coati* Tcitile$. catdagc, leather i'tyl 11111A iknita I'etnandc- Ciachaaain-Lsfittc Iducationsl equipment t R IIIMPORT Ihnfitio Mcdct, n RailwaY equipment tERRIMPOR1 Cat,olot Rodrittuet Ikniter Hardware supplies MAI'fUNTI' K Justo Atmncstu Pans Raw matctislt and intctmediaic gzxrda MA JIMPORT laic de Is Fuenie Menender Machinery and equipment M11. ')ICtthA Orlando Reiman Merida Medical equipment QUIMII+IPORT E dgardu Machado I kwcs Chemicals, Errs#uet TEUNOWOORT low Unmque Qucsads Tcclinolctgy TRACTOIMPORT Guido Vallente Romero Agrictdtural machinery T11ANSIMPORT Antonio Vittagte Roca Automotive and transportation equipment Roberto Rodrigues (Jumpart Mining and drilling equipment L puri CUBAZUCAR Emiliatto Letcano Viqueli. Supt and sugarcane byproducts CURANIQUEL Osmani Marlines Vasqucs Nickel ore CUBAEXPORT Tino Lutt loankot Foodstuffs and miscellaneous products CUBATABACO Alberto Ramos Suco Tobacco and tobacco products to Approved For Release 2003/09/29 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000500110010-5