On October 9, 2015, COFCO Group Vice President Chi Jingtao met with Mrs. Odalys Escandell Garcia, Vice Minister of Cuban Ministry of Interior Commerce and her delegation at COFCO Fortune Plaza. The two sides held discussions regarding the wholesale and marketing of commodities.
Chi Jingtao extended welcome to the visit of Mrs. Odalys Escandell Garcia and her delegation on behalf of COFCO Group. He noted the sound basis for cooperation in sugar business between COFCO and Cuba in the past, which he believed can pave way for future cooperation and development. He gave a briefing about main businesses of COFCO Trading, China Agri-Industries Holdings Limited and COFCO Tunhe as well as COFCO Group’s global strategic positioning upon acquisitions of Nidera BV and Noble Agri and its current industrial standing in the world. He pointed out that after “going out” COFCO, whose major advantages are based in the Chinese market, can proactively tap into international and domestic resources and markets so as to expand the scope of business and to provide a sound environment for the development of agricultural cooperation with other countries. He also gave a detailed introduction of the operation model of e-commerce platforms such as COFCO’s Womai.com and exgrain.com.
In the briefing about her major responsibilities in Cuban Ministry of Interior Commerce, Mrs. Odalys Escandell Garcia focused on the wholesale, retail and logistics of agriculture-related commodities and the import, export and end consumption of agricultural products. She gave a brief account of Cuba’s economic development, its new economic growth points, special economic zone, and emerging industries. She highlighted the new trends of Cuba’s economic development, which can generate favorable conditions for both sides to further agricultural cooperation. She also extended sincere invitation to leaders of COFCO Group to attend Havana International Fair to be held in November 2015 and further explore possibilities for mutual cooperation.
Both sides also conducted thorough exchanges on the operation model of e-commerce, food safety, protection of consumer rights and interests, and food pricing mechanism.
