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U.S. state looks to expand agricultural cooperation with Cuba

Xinhua, June 1, 2016 Adjust font size:

Jeremiah Nixon, governor of the U.S. state of Missouri, said Tuesday here that his state seeks to enhance agricultural cooperation with Cuba amid rapprochement between both countries.

Speaking at a press conference held at the end of a three-day visit to the island country, Nixon said Cuba represents a "great and growing" market and "tremendous opportunity" for the export of the high-quality agricultural products produced in Missouri.

Nixon also said the Cuban government has accepted 20 tons of high-quality rice produced in Missouri as donation, which marks the beginning of agricultural exchanges between the two sides.

He said Cuba would benefit from Missouri's crop-growing capability and animal husbandry technology.

"We want to see Cuba succeed and we understand the technology we have and the expertise of our farm and agricultural sector can make a big difference, there is a mutual benefit," he said.

Due to the U.S. economic embargo, Cuba has to pay in advance in cash for all the products it buys from U.S. companies. Havana has not bought rice from any U.S. state since 2008 when Vietnam agreed to supply all the rice and agricultural know-how needed by the island and its farmers under a bilateral cooperation program.

The U.S. official also praised Cuba's higher education, saying Missouri can learn from the Cuban experience.

"Higher education is a highway to bring two cultures closer and I don't see that's far when Missouri students can come here to learn at Cuba's prestigious universities," he said.

During the visit, the U.S. governor met with Cuban officials like Vice President Ricardo Cabrisas, Agriculture Minister Gustavo Rodriguez and Foreign Investment Minister Rodrigo Malmierca, and attended a business forum held to promote communication between Cuban and Missouri's entrepreneurs.

Coming to Cuba after the governors of four U.S. states -- New York, Arkansas, Texas and Virginia, Nixon is the fifth U.S. state leader to visit Havana after it re-established relations with Washington last year. Endi