Background Information On Cuban Society - Real Havana: Explore Cuba Like a Local and Save Money - page 18

imported goods by independent vendors was prohibited. These vendors now sell
exclusively Cuban made products. A black market for foreign items does exist
and vendors usually sell their outlawed, imported goods from the back of their
stores, or through clandestine, door to door sales.
Independent Services: The service industry in the country is experiencing huge
growth as well. Due to the American trade embargo and the low, average Cuban
income, the maintenance, repair and repurposing of old products has long been a
cornerstone of Cuban culture. Nowhere is this better exemplified than by the huge
number of independent watch, mobile phone, and computer repair shops, as well
as the throngs of jewelers, locksmiths and eyeglass technicians. Many of these
services used to be offered exclusively by the state, but it seems that the general
consensus is that independent workers can often do the jobs better, more quickly
and at almost the same price. Print shops and photocopy centers are also seeing
huge growth.
Collective Farming: In rural areas of the country, where economic opportunities
are tighter, there has been a surge of independent farmers banding together into
co-ops, in order to better set viable prices for their produce, and to reduce costs.
They are taking advantage of government programs aimed at deregulating the
farming and produce distribution industries. Whereas these farmers were once
employed by the government and worked exclusively on state-run farms, they are
now free to work their own fields and sell their crops wherever they want, at the
best price possible. Many Cubans see this as one of the greatest signs of the
growing capitalist movement within the country.