77. Touards the end of the lg?Os, other acts of aggression took place througb theintrcduction into cuba of disease-bearing fungae lhat had not previously been foundin crop plants. For exanple, in 1979r a blight caused by the fungus puccinia melanocephala was detected in augar-grovring areas, affecting the ctr i eE-;il tivatedvariely of sugar cane (B-4362). The disease caused serious losses to Che narvestot L979 and 1980 and made it necessary to repran! the area in question with othermore resistant varieties. production of sugar, cuba rs main export, declineal byI million tonnes and large sums had to be spent on machinery, fuel and labour inmore than 25 per cent of tbe countryrs cane-growing area in order to replaca theaffected variety. 78. Also, in 1979, aE the end of the first quarter, spots were observed on tobaccoleaves in the province o€ S€ncti Spirltus rrhich were later ialentifi.ed as btuemould, produced by country since 1,960. consequences for the lhan 85 per cent ofthe fungus Peronospora tabacina, rrhich had The appearance of this plant disease had tobacco harvest of 1979-1980, resulting the harvest.A/40 /596 EngIish Page 37 been unknorrrn in Ehe disastrous in the loss of more Steel. industry 79. Usinq its nickel as a base, Cuba has nade great efforts to develop the production of stainless steel as an export comr'aod ity. To tbat end, feasibility studies uere carried out and negotiations entered into with conpanies auch as SNC fnEernational of Canada, Klockner Belge S.A. of Belgiun and the Federal RppubLic of Germany, and Krupp of the Federal Republlc of Germany. Both the market research and the trade negotiations were negatlvely influenced by the Unied States econonic blockade. 80, In recen! years' about 70 per cent of the stainless steel produced in the capitalist world has been obtained by using the A or D system for decarbonizing the
**Analysis**
The text discusses the challenges faced by Cuba in the late 1970s and early 1980s, including the introduction of disease-bearing fungi, the impact on sugar cane and tobacco production, and the development of the stainless steel industry. These topics suggest a strong connection to the agricultural, industrial, and economic sectors of the country.

**Category**
Agriculture, forestry and fishing, Industry, Economic development