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Luxury-starved citizens of the land of Castro desire American rice, eggs, pears, but lack the cash to pay for them.
The scene at the U.S. Food and Agribusiness Exhibition held in Havana, Cuba in September looked at times like something from a melodrama. Curious spectators eyed pears as if they were foreign objects; older visitors reminisced about brands they hadn't seen in nearly half a century.
The dramatic moments were a testament to the significance of the event. The largest American trade show held in Cuba in more than 40 years, it featured many products spectators hadn't seen since the 1960s, when the U.S. government imposed a trade embargo on the communist-run Caribbean island. In total, 288 American exhibitors from 33 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico showed more than 3,000 products.
The show was made possible by a measure signed into law in 2000 by President Bill Clinton that allows the direct commercial sale of American food and other agricultural products to Cuba on a cash basis. Since last November, when Cuba began taking advantage of the law, private Cuban food-importing agency Alimport has signed for more than $140 million worth of products.
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