CUBAN CATTLE THREATENED BY DROUGHT

  Over 750,000 head of cattle are suffering
  the effects of a severe shortage of feed as a result of a
  prolonged drought in the normally rich sugar and cattle
  producing province of Camaguey, the newspaper Granma reported.
      The province produces 23 pct of Cuba's beef and is the
  island's number two province in milk production. Granma said
  20,000 head of cattle are now in imminent danger.
      The newspaper said a "cattle emergency" had been decreed and
  the cattle are being rounded up.
      Some 110,000 head have been transferred to the sugar cane
  conditioning centers where newly harvested cane is cleaned
  before being sent to the mills. The cattle are being fed the
  residue left after cleaning the cane stalks. 32,000 head have
  been sent to nearby provinces of Las Tunas and Ciego de Avila.
      Despite Cuba's ambitous cattle development plans, beef
  rationing has been in effect over the past 25 years. In Havana,
  each Cuban receives approximately 3/4 lb of rationed beef every
  18 days.
      In a major area hit by drought, San Miguel, practically no
  rain has fallen in the past 14 months. Grazing lands are
  parched and the region was unable to produce 117,000 tonnes of
  silage projected in its annual plan.
      Granma said rainfall over the past year has been less than
  50 pct of normal precipitation.
  

