Charcoal exports bring about increasing revenue for Cuba

MATANZAS, Cuba - Under a pounding sun, a group of men, armed with chain saws, cut down the trees at an old citrus plantation in a plain in western Cuba, previously known for its high production of oranges, grapefruit and lemons.

An invasion of the Huanglongbing plague, also known as a citrus greening disease, forced authorities to demolish large areas planted with citrus in the state-run Victoria de Giron Agroindustrial Company, located in the municipality of Jaguey Grande, 140 kilometers southeast of Havana.

Losing the plantation was not the only problem for the company, which also had to face having a large volume of cut wood that remained on the fields without ever being put to use.