LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe on Friday said he’s traveling to Cuba, hoping to open a multimillion dollar market for the state’s rice and poultry if the United States lifts a trade embargo against the island nation.

Beebe and a delegation including officials from the Arkansas Economic Development Commission leave Tuesday for a trip to Cuba. Beebe is also traveling with representatives of Riceland Foods Inc. and Tyson Foods Inc.

“I am going to Cuba to ensure that, if and when more agricultural trade is permitted, Arkansas will be in the best possible position to seize the opportunity to sell our products,” Beebe said in his weekly radio address.

Beebe said he’s traveling to Cuba amid signs that the trade restrictions in place since 1962 may be eased or eliminated. Exemptions were created in 2000 to the embargo to allow limited agricultural trade with Cuba.

Arkansas has continued limited trade with Cuba under terms of the U.S. embargo. Last year, the state exported $32,996 in goods to Cuba, all of which was cotton and fabric, said Scott Hardin, a spokesman with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission.

That was a steep drop from 2007, when the state exported $1.3 million in meat and poultry to the island nation. In 2006, the state exported $1.4 million worth of goods, mostly rice and cereal.

Arkansas Agriculture Secretary Richard Bell blamed the drop-off on a rise in rice prices and a rule requiring cash in advance before shipping products.

Tyson and Riceland both said they hope find ways to increase sales of their products in Cuba.

The potential market has spurred visits to the nation in the past by the Arkansas congressional delegation. Beebe’s office did not know if another governor had traveled to the country on a trade mission before.

Former Gov. Mike Huckabee traveled to Guantanamo Bay in 2006 to visit the terrorist detainee camp being run by the U.S. government.

Beebe cited the state’s opening of offices in Tokyo and Beijing as other examples of Arkansas reaching out to other countries.

However, Economic Development officials say they don’t have any plans yet to open Cuba offices. The main goal of the trip, they said, is to prepare the state for the possibility of the lifting of trade restrictions.

“It’s just to make those contacts and make the acquaintance,” said Joe Holmes, a spokesman for the Economic Development Commission. “We have some folks we can keep in touch with and begin to share with.”

–––

On the Net:

Riceland Foods Inc.: http://www.riceland.com

Tyson Foods Inc.: http://www.tyson.com

Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe: http://www.governor.arkansas.gov