PORTLAND – The Maine International Trade Center has gathered together an experienced food trader who has successfully entered the Cuban market and an expert in food export regulations and federal market access programs for a workshop for food and beverage exporters on June 5.

Cuba spends $1 billion on food imports a year and that figure is expected to grow to $1.5 billion by 2005. The direct export of food products to Cuba was made possible when the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act passed in 2000. The Maine International Trade Center has made this program possible to assist Maine companies that are first-time exporters to Cuba.

“The Food and Beverage Export Seminar: Cuban Opportunities and Marketing Funds” will be held 10 a.m. to noon at the Shipyard Brewing Co., 86 Newbury St., Portland. Registration will begin at 9:30 a.m. and a tour of the brewery will begin at about noon, following the seminar.

For costs or information, contact MITC’s Dana Eidsness at 541-7474 or eidsness@mitc.com