The Cuban president said that several foreign investment projects worth several billions of dollars are already underway to encourage domestic production.

Cuba's president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, urged on Monday a reduction on imports and an increase in exports so that the economy of the island continues to grow.

"Life has continued showing us that importing accommodates, kills creativity and initiative," said the president during the opening of the working session of the Economic Affairs Committee of the National Assembly of People's Power, which works in the third period ordinary session of its IX Legislature.

Díaz-Canel said that several foreign investment projects worth several billions of dollars are already underway to encourage domestic production. For his part, the Cuban Minister of Economy and Planning, Alejandro Gil, explained that in the first half of 2019, exports grew 103 percent with respect to the approved plan.

Also, the Cuban president asked Parliament to invest more in the agri-food sector and increase arable land under irrigation, which currently only represents 7 percent of the land and does not meet the needs of the entire population.

Economic growth despite the blockade

The Cuban president also highlighted the economic growth of the island at the end of 2018, despite the economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed by the United States for more than 60 years.

On the other hand, Diaz-Canel reminded members of Parliament of the importance of listening to the proposals of the population, such as the demand for a salary increase to the budgeted state sector.

"We have to listen to what people are proposing to us, these measures are in line with what people have told us in the workers' congress, in the congress of the ANEC (National Association of Economists of Cuba), when we go for visits to the provinces, it is in that wisdom and popular wisdom which you have to absorb to find solutions to the problems and so people will defend them better, "he said.