In Cuba's commercial realm, everything linked to nature has gained a place of its own. A similar situation happens with the increasing operations conducted by the Flora and Wildlife Entrepreneurial Group, run by Commander of the Revolution Guillermo Garcia Frias.

This company embraces three enterprises: Flora and Wildlife (producer), Alcona S.A. (marketing) and Ecotur (travel agency).

Therefore, Alcona markets byproducts or the surplus of the island's flora and wildlife both locally and overseas.

One of the most outstanding cases in point is the Cuban-endemic pink flamenco, with captivity breeding ground at the Maximo River Reserve north of Camaguey.

Today, Alcona S.A. exports 400 animals on a yearly basis, especially to China, Korea, Holland, Belgium and other countries.

A nonstop development By and large, products of this kind are highly coveted in the world given their authenticity or scarceness somewhere else aboveground. Thus, zoos go the great lengths to add those species to their collections.

The spurring rooster –a fowl species that can easily be bred in domestic conditions- is a good case in point. Alcona markets roughly 700 of these roosters overseas every year.

The marketing of ornamental birds like the black thrush and the Cuban finch features among the company's development plans for the future.

Cuba's beautiful flora One of Alcona's premiere export items as far as the flora is concerned is the top-quality midsize papaya, a product that usually goes to Spain and Canada, with prospects in the offing to branch out exports to Germany and Japan.

Moreover, fodder for flower wreaths are also exported. In this particular field, there are nursery homes and evaluation centers that monitor production in order to guarantee the necessary balance.

Specialties galore The protection of the natural environment is one of the entrepreneurial group's goals. A team of forest worker, biologists, veterinarians, geographers and agriculture engineers goes like clockwise in perfect harmony between Cuba's Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environmental Protection.

In line with those demands and rules, there are specialized farms in the country to breed in captivity such species as the American alligator (acutus) and the Cuban crocodile (Rombifer). In the case of caimans, they are captured right off their own environment to sell its meat and skin to the hotels in the capital and other provinces, as well as for export purposes. On the other hand, the enterprise brought in Asian buffaloes to Cuba some ten years ago, and now their meat is served in different recreational facilities.

Horses are also well taken care of in over 30 stallion-breeding farms scattered all around the country. A case in point is a nice place in the outskirts of the capital called Rancho Azucarero, a recreational playground for tourists.

And to top it all off, Ecotur Travel Agency is charged with both the organization and sale of nature-oriented tours, synergetic activities and trail trekking.

The money collected by each of the group's three enterprises is used in environmental-protection efforts, as Alcona's execs stress on.

Keeping a watchful eye on the environment, the importance of preservation and adequate tapping of natural resources rest on their sustainable usage for the world. PRESERVING NATURE IS PRESERVING LIFE is the slogan wielded by an entrepreneurial work that aims high at the future.

Contacts: Alcona S.A. 116 Avenida de Independencia on the corner of Santa Catalina. Cerro. Havana. Cuba. Phones: (5-37) 400730, 414864 Fax: (5-37) 538890 Email: alconasa@ceniai.inf.cu