Malawi to export beans to Cuba for first time

Malawi has for the first time identified a deal to export over 15,000 metric tonnes of red beans to Cuba as soon as possible, a senior official said here Friday.

Trade and Industry Minister Henry Mussa told journalists on arrival from the Cuban capital Havana, where he attended the 26th International Trade Fair, that Malawi has an advantage of exporting a large quantity of red beans to Cuba after the hurricanes destroyed nearly one third of the crops in that country.

"Farmers should come forward so that we arrange transportation logistics for the exports of the beans to Cuba," he said.

Apart from tobacco, the country’s main foreign exchange earner, beans could also be another foreign exchange earner and improve economic growth for Malawi, he added.