Cuba reports big increase in food prices [View all]

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http://news.yahoo.com/cuba-reports-big-increase-food-prices-183033229.html;_ylt=AsKXfrI.9CgiJoBbty7qbuymWot4;_ylu=X3oDMTRvNXE2amZkBGNjb2RlA2dtcHRvcDEwMDBwb29sd2lraXVwcmVzdARtaXQDTmV3cyBmb3IgeW91BHBrZwMxNDk2ZGUwYS03ODllLTMxNjYtYmZjNi0yODQyMjliODk5NmIEcG9zAzIEc2VjA25ld3NfZm9yX3lvdQR2ZXIDZTQ5NTFkNTAtNGMzOS0xMWUxLWFmZmQtYzc4ODdlMDE2YWU4;_ylg=X3oDMTNoM3JuMW9jBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDYWQ0MzlmZDAtZGEwZS0zY2JkLThkZWYtZDY4OTM4NTk4ZjVmBHBzdGNhdANwb2xpdGljc3xkZXN0aW5hdGlvbjIwMTIEcHQDc3RvcnlwYWdlBHRlc3QD;_ylv=3

By Marc Frank | Reuters – Tue, Jan 31, 2012Related ContentEnlarge PhotoPeople buy food at a market in Havana, November 12, - Cubans paid almost 20 percent more for food in 2011 as economic reforms, reduced imports and stagnating farm production touched off price inflation at the country's many produce markets.

The National Statistics Office reported on its website (ONE.CU) that meat prices rose 8.7 percent while produce prices were up 24.1 percent, for an average of 19.8 percent.

The report was bad news for President Raul Castro, who has been loosening the state's grip on farming and retail food services and sales as it seeks to reform its Soviet-style economy by allowing more private initiative and market forces to kick in.

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Similar reforms in other state-monopolized economies have proved inflationary in the early stages, but the Cuban government hoped increased output would mitigate price increases.