The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Cuba’s import purchases during 2018. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Cuba.

1. Machinery including computers: US$1 billion (16.9% of total imports)
2. Electrical machinery, equipment: $495.4 million (8.1%)
3. Vehicles: $468.5 million (7.6%)
4. Cereals: $355.6 million (5.8%)
5. Meat: $276.2 million (4.5%)
6. Plastics, plastic articles: $239.1 million (3.9%)
7. Articles of iron or steel: $198.4 million (3.2%)
8. Food industry waste, animal fodder: $185.1 million (3%)
9. Dairy, eggs, honey: $179.3 million (2.9%)
10. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $168.9 million (2.8%)

Cuba’s top 10 imports accounted for 58.8% of the overall cost of its product purchases from other countries.

Imported articles of iron or steel posted the fastest-growing increase in cost among Cuba’s top 10 import categories, up 19.4% from 2017 to 2018.

The only other top category to expand in cost was the meat category thanks to its 2.7% acceleration.

Leading the declining categories was electrical machinery and equipment (down -16.8%), dairy, eggs and honey (down -14.6%), optical, technical and medical apparatus (down -14%) then vehicles (down -11.1%).

Please note that information presented under other virtual folder tabs is at the more granular 4-digit level.

In 2018, Cuban importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.

1. Liquid pumps and elevators: US$70.8 million (up 13.2% from 2017)
2. Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $53.9 million (down -4.8%)
3. Miscellaneous machinery: $46.7 million (up 17.1%)
4. Air or vacuum pumps: $45.8 million (down -13.6%)
5. Computers, optical readers: $43.6 million (up 35%)
6. Piston engine parts: $42.7 million (down -31.5%)
7. Taps, valves, similar appliances: $42.6 million (down -5%)
8. Machinery parts: $40.8 million (down -4.6%)
9. Engines (diesel): $40.1 million (down -9.6%)
10. Refrigerators, freezers: $40.1 million (down -35.6%)

Among these import subcategories, Cuba’s purchases of computers and optical readers (up 35%), miscellaneous machinery (up 17.1%) then liquid pumps and elevators (up 13.2%) were the only three top subcategories to grow from 2017 to 2018.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery including computers among Cuban businesses and consumers.

In 2018, Cuban importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronics-related goods.

1. Phone system devices including smartphones: US$116.5 million (up 3.8% from 2017)
2. Insulated wire/cable: $45.5 million (down -25.8%)
3. Electric generating sets, converters: $39.6 million (down -5.4%)
4. Electrical converters/power units: $31.7 million (down -9.8%)
5. Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $28.8 million (down -29%)
6. Electric motors, generators: $26.6 million (up 64.5%)
7. Electric storage batteries: $23.3 million (up 16%)
8. Electric circuit parts, fuses, switches: $22.1 million (up 102.2%)
9. TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $18.4 million (down -36.1%)
10. Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $16.2 million (down -47.1%)

Among these import subcategories, Cuba’s purchases of electric circuit parts, fuses and switches (up 102.2%), electric motors and generators (up 64.5%) then electric storage batteries (up 16%) grew at the fastest pace from 2017 to 2018.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported electronics-related goods among Cuban businesses and consumers.

In 2018, Cuban importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles.

1. Automobile parts/accessories: US$106.4 million (down -20.3% from 2017)
2. Public-transport vehicles: $98.5 million (down -11.8%)
3. Trucks: $83.4 million (up 22.6%)
4. Tractors: $58 million (up 22.8%)
5. Cars: $45.5 million (up 11.9%)
6. Special purpose vehicles: $36.4 million (up 2.1%)
7. Trailers: $20.3 million (down -34.9%)
8. Work trucks: $7.5 million (down -31.8%)
9. Motorcycles: $5.7 million (down -79.3%)
10. Motorcycle parts/accessories: $3.4 million (down -71.3%)

Among these import subcategories, Cuba’s purchases of tractors (up 22.8%), trucks (up 22.6%) then cars (up 11.9%) grew at the fastest pace from 2017 to 2018.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported vehicles among Cuban businesses and consumers.

In 2018, Cuban importers spent the most on the following subcategories of mineral fuels-related products.

1. Wheat: US$160.6 million (down -8.7% from 2017)
2. Corn: $156.3 million (up 0.9%)
3. Rice: $38.2 million (down -33.6%)
4. Oats: $426,000 (down -15.1%)
5. Buckwheat, millet, canary seed: $91,000 (down -66.9%)
6. Barley: $36,000 (up 56.5%)

Among these import subcategories, Cuba’s purchases of barley (up 56.5%) and corn (up 0.9%) were the only top categories to grow from 2017 to 2018.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported cereals among Cuban businesses and consumers.