NASHVILLE, TENN. (RFD-TV) — U.S. agricultural and food exports to Cuba continue to grow under long-standing trade law, reaching a cumulative milestone of more than $8 billion since shipments resumed in late 2001. Recent data show that trade is accelerating modestly, even without changes to U.S. sanctions or financing rules.
Exports of U.S. ag and food products to Cuba totaled nearly $34 million in September 2025, up almost 9 percent from a year earlier. For the first nine months of 2025, shipments reached about $359 million, roughly 18 percent higher year over year, placing Cuba among the top 50 U.S. ag export destinations worldwide.
Trade is governed primarily by the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000, which allows direct commercial exports of food and agricultural commodities on a cash-only basis. That structure limits volume growth while making Cuba a reliable buyer with minimal credit risk. Historically, products have included poultry, feed grains, wheat, rice, soy products, and processed foods, with shipments to Cuba’s re-emerging private sector.
Despite political constraints, proximity to U.S. ports and consistent food demand continue to support steady trade.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Cuba remains a small but dependable, cash-only outlet for U.S. grain and food products.
Tony St. James, RFD-TV Markets Specialist
Enforceable origin labels could create clearer premiums for U.S. cattle and address concerns some producers have had with competition from foreign imported beef.
November 12, 2025 12:39 PM
·
Rural businesses report softer sales, tougher hiring, and restrained investment — a backdrop that can pinch farm support capacity even if posted prices cool.
November 12, 2025 12:22 PM
·
Friday’s release will be the first WASDE report in about two months, and early estimates indicate a corn surplus is still on the way.
November 12, 2025 12:16 PM
·
A Reuters report shows China has a soybean “glut,” finding stockpiles at Chinese ports are at record levels, with crushers there holding the most supplies since 2017.
November 12, 2025 10:55 AM
·
The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) says recent wins in markets like Malaysia and Cambodia help farmers focus on production rather than trade barriers.
November 11, 2025 03:50 PM
·
Lucia Ruano, USMEF’s Central America representative, discusses what is driving demand for U.S. beef and pork in the region.
November 11, 2025 01:30 PM
·
