OREANDA-NEWS  Against the background of difficulties in Cuba with food, Russia cooperates with the World Food Program, supplies grain on a commercial basis and credits purchases of oil, fertilizers and wheat, Russian Ambassador to Havana Viktor Coronelli told RIA Novosti.

"Russia cooperates very intensively with relevant organizations of the UN system, for example, with the World Food Program, and within the framework of this program we have already carried out several deliveries of vegetable oil, grain, chickpeas to Cuba," Coronelli said.

The Cuban government had previously temporarily reduced the size of baked goods in the "family basket" due to a shortage of wheat in the country to ensure continued supply. Local businessmen told the media that the United States blockade against Cuba hinders timely settlements with import suppliers, and despite the support of friendly countries, banking operations are becoming more complicated.

According to Victor Coronelli, in addition to humanitarian supplies, a commercial project of a Novosibirsk company that supplies grain to a flour mill in Cienfuegos province is now being successfully implemented in Cuba. More than 100,000 tons of grain have already been delivered to Cuba as part of this project.

"This year, as in the past, Russia provided Cuba with a loan of $100 million. Of this loan, 80 million were allocated for the import of oil from Russia, 10 million for the purchase of fertilizers in Russia and another 10 million for the purchase of wheat, which has already been supplied," Coronelli added.