Facing the challenges imposed by the complex current scenario, the young people of the Ciego de Ávila Dairy Combine are emerging as a fundamental pillar to sustain and diversify production, demonstrating a commitment that profiles them as the quarry for the future management of the company.

In a production balance to date, the Director of Production, Rubén Pina Ángel Bello, acknowledged the difficulties in the province’s milk collection plan, which has restricted the delivery of this vital product to the population in the first months of the year.

“The situation is fundamentally due to the drought and low reproduction in the agricultural sector,” explained Pina. “There are places where it practically does not rain for months, which decreases milk production and, in some cases, causes the death of calves. Although we make the maximum effort to collect from all places, these are the main causes of the non-compliance.”

Faced with this outlook, the company has not sat idly by. According to the executive detailed, they have managed to channel and maintain other essential productions such as yoghurt, ice cream and butter. The strategy has involved the active search for alternatives.

“We have made contracts with non-state entities and, by obtaining and purchasing the fundamental raw materials, we have managed to maintain those productions,” affirmed Pina.

“Furthermore, we work on alternative lines: fruit soft drinks, jams, syrups and preserved sweets of papaya and guaya halves. That is to say, we have not stopped to wait only for milk; we have gone out to look for fruit and other resources to increase productions.”

This diversification effort has had a clear objective: to guarantee the job stability of the workers and avoid any interruption in their income.

In this context of collective effort, the role of youth has been decisive. Rubén Pina highlighted the leading role of the new workers in a productive area that demands great sacrifice.

“Youth always imposes itself in the places it is, and more so in this Dairy,” he stated. “The young people have become entrenched with us, they have joined the collective.”

Such is their integration and commitment, that the base committee of the Union of Young Communists (UJC) was recently constituted in the combine, an act that was presided over by Meyvis Estévez Echavarría, first secretary of the youth organisation in Cuba. In the new structure, four young people assumed responsibilities. “Some of them have very good prospects because they are very enthusiastic about the task, with possibilities, even, of holding management positions in the near future,” forecast the Director of Production.

The youth of the Avilanian Dairy, therefore, not only contributes its productive strength to overcome the immediate challenges, but is actively preparing to lead the destinies of the Combine in the coming years.