The upcoming start-up of a mini ice cream factory, acquired through the Municipal Capacity Building for Local Development (PRODEL) program, will increase food options in the mountainous town of Florencia, in the Ciego de Ávila province.

In the testing phase, this small industry has the capacity to produce about 400 tubs of ice cream of 2,200 grams daily, which will mostly be destined for sales in local entities, according to Huber Gómez Herrera, commercial deputy director of the Municipal Company of Commerce and Gastronomy.

Luis Rodríguez Pérez, director of the UEB Elaboration Center "Las Palmas", explained that being inserted in that entity will take advantage of the production of seasonal fruit pulps to form various flavors of ice cream, in a way that quality and access will be guaranteed to one of the raw materials.

The linkages with the Provincial Dairy Products Company and Tecnoazúcar will allow the availability of other ingredients such as stabilizers and sugar, respectively; while the milk will result from contracts with ranchers in the area, who would market after fulfilling the deliveries for children, the elderly and medical diets.

They mentioned that negotiations are being established with the Food Industry to obtain trays that will allow the ice cream to be sold in this format, with great acceptance among consumers and more affordable for the majority of the population.

The Contracting and Prices Committee, an advisory body of the Municipal Government of People's Power, approved the granting of three million pesos in national currency to promote this local development project, whose aim is to expand to meet the demands of the territory and join forces with entities in the tourist sector, they noted.

They stressed that the granting of bank credit will also make it possible to obtain the necessary inputs to produce and fair and timely payment to suppliers, so that, for example, the farmers in the area will have another motivation to increase milk production.

The municipal development strategy (EDM) in Florence conceives food production among its fundamental lines, including the expansion of the canning industries, diversification of production in the La Crema confectionery and the progress of agriculture.

Implemented by the Center for Local and Community Development (CEDEL), with financing from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and contributions in national currency from the participating Cuban entities, PRODEL accompanies the EDM in 27 municipalities of the country.