A delegation visiting Cuba from Rio Grande do Sul will make a stop in Matanzas today, to exchange experiences with authorities from that western province and tour the Indio Hatuey Agriculture Research Center.

Tomorrow the group will also visit small agricultural producers in the Perico municipality of Matanzas, to learn about local agricultural and industrial production.

The delegation, visiting Havana since Sunday, September 1, intends to offer its assistance with rice and milk production, and strengthen relations between Brazilian and Cuban agricultural institutions, its members told the press.

The group will remain here for a week as part of a working program to develop the second stage of the Decentralized Cooperation Project with Cuba in Agriculture, a project underway for the past year which is meant to solidify such collaboration.

Among others, the group includes officers from Brazil's Secretariats of Agriculture, Livestock and Agribusiness (FEPAGRO), its Rural Development, Fishery and Cooperatives institution (EMATER), and the Rio Grande do Sul Rice Institute (IRGA).

The delegation's working program includes the signing of a cooperation agreement between the IRGA and Grain Research Institute (IIGranos) of Cuba, and a visit to pharmaceutical company LABIOFAM, among other activities.