Moringa in Cuba in 2020!

Moringa in Cuba:

Medical science in Cuba has been historically great and have been studied as case studies by various governments around the world to emulate their system in their respective countries. Cuba has MoUs with several governments to send their doctors to their countries where there is lack of quality of doctors. Speaking of alternative medicines, the sector is very good in Cuba and people of Cuba like to treat their diseases with natural herbs and cure – people say it as ‘green medicine’. One such great herb which is making noise around the world is ‘Moringa’ – miracle of the moment.

The Moringa Oleifera, one of the greatest plant species in Cuba, now has each person going loopy. According to articles published on the net, a Moringa leaf has more than 25% protein, which is as tons as in eggs and twice the amount of milk!  Originally, the moringa tree comes from southern & northern parts of India, where people have been eating moringa fruits, drumstick, moringa leaves, roots, moringa seeds since thousands of years. Since last decade or so, moringa cultivation has been in existence in Cuba, and Cubans love to have it in their diets.

Moringa grows in typically tropical to subtropical climate having temperatures from 22 to 40 degree Celsius. ‘The average year-round temperature is approximately 26°C and there’s plenty of sunshine in Cuba’. Moringa tree also, does not require as much water as required in the cultivation of rice or other crops. Agriculture in Cuba played a significant role in the economy of Cuba contributing 10% of the GDP (USD 25.4 billion in agriculture as of 2015 statistics). 30% of the land is being used for Agricultural purposes and employees nearly 20% of the population in Cuba.

Value from Moringa: Economic Sense

Moringa is being used in varieties of industries from pharmaceuticals as capsules from moringa powder or moringa powder in its raw form, to cosmetics as moringa oil from its seeds, used in creams, lotions, gels which is beneficial for skin, to food industry adding moringa leaves, moringa leaf powder to different food categories as many food companies are doing. Since moringa from seed to tree to various derived products are being used worldwide, government of Cuba can think upon of cultivating moringa for it much beneficial of its value chain. Job creation in farming sector for cultivation to various industries helps in uplifting the economy of Cuba.

Moringa & the revolutionary leader of Cuba- Fidel Castro

It was Che Guevara, a major figure of the Cuban revolution, who first introduced drumsticks to Cuba in the 1960s, but its cultivation remained limited, as described by a news website. One of the former Chef of Fidel Castrol told a major newspaper of England that Fidel Castro, architect of the Cuban revolution, since 2008 having taken retirement had been enjoying gardening and cultivating moringa around his residence. He sent one of his friends to India to bring moringa seeds to quietly pet his hobbies like moringa cultivation.

When an earthquake hit Haiti in 2010, it led to large scale destruction and caused suffering to the common people. Among the several problems they had to battle were cholera and hunger. Moved by the plight of Haitians, Fidel Castro approached ‘Dr. Concepcion Campa Huergo’, founder of the Finlay Institute in Cuba, great researcher having done noteworthy work in Vaccines,  seeking for help. Castro was then told that “the answer to Haiti’s problem of pervasive hunger was moringa“. After reading up on moringa, Castro told Huergo, “This is food for the hungry.” Huergo, on being requested by Castro, then travelled to Tamil Nadu, Andhra and Kerala to study the cultivation of moringa and get seeds to Cuba for cultivation.

Moringa Seeds:

Moringa seeds comes in multiple varieties for cultivation (PKM1, PKM2 for high yield), for extraction of seed oil (40% oil in cold press). Germination of moringa seeds should be more than 80% to get high yield and nutritious leaves, fruits, drumsticks. Soil should be thoroughly checked before cultivating the moringa as soil plays important role in the moringa cultivation.

 

Feel free to contact Terry Exports LLP for any clarifications on Moringa. Terry Exports LLP is moringa exports-oriented firm having ISO:9001 + HACCP certifications.



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