▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union . ▁In ▁exchange ▁for ▁sugar , ▁Cuba ▁received ▁subs id ized ▁pet role um , ▁pet role um ▁products , ▁ag ro chem ical s ▁( such ▁as ▁fert il izers ▁and ▁p estic ides ), ▁and ▁other ▁farm ▁products . ▁Moreover , ▁approximately ▁ 5 0 % ▁of ▁Cuba ' s ▁food ▁was ▁imported . ▁Cuba ' s ▁food ▁production ▁was ▁organized ▁around ▁Soviet - style , ▁large - scale , ▁industrial ▁agricult ural ▁collect ives . ▁Before ▁the ▁collapse ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union , ▁Cuba ▁used ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 ▁million ▁tons ▁of ▁synth etic ▁fert il izers ▁and ▁up ▁to ▁ 3 5 , 0 0 0 ▁tons ▁of ▁her b ic ides ▁and ▁p estic ides ▁per ▁year . ▁ ▁With ▁the ▁collapse ▁of ▁the ▁USS R , ▁Cuba ▁lost ▁its ▁main ▁trad ing ▁partner ▁and ▁the ▁favor able ▁trade ▁subs id ies ▁it ▁received ▁from ▁it , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁access ▁to ▁oil , ▁chemical ▁fert il izers , ▁p estic ides ▁etc . ▁From ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁the ▁Cub an ▁economy ▁contract ed ▁by ▁ 3 5 %; ▁foreign ▁trade ▁dropped ▁ 7 5 %. ▁Without ▁Soviet ▁aid , ▁domestic ▁agricult ure ▁production ▁fell ▁by ▁half . ▁During ▁this ▁time , ▁known ▁in ▁Cuba ▁as ▁the ▁Special ▁Period , ▁food ▁scarc ities ▁became ▁ac ute . ▁The ▁average ▁per ▁cap ita ▁cal orie ▁int ake ▁fell ▁from ▁ 2 , 9 0 0 ▁a ▁day