Cuban farmers can now buy supplies

HAVANA, March 18 (UPI) -- Cuba has lifted its ban on farmers buying their own supplies and some equipment in hopes of improving the communist island nation's agricultural output.

The move means farmers will be able to purchase simple supplies such as seeds and inexpensive tools rather than rely solely on the state to provide them, the BBC reported Tuesday.

The decision by new Cuban leader Raul Castro is a marked departure from the policy's of his predecessor and older brother Fidel Castro, who maintained a state-centralized grip on the economy and Cuba's agricultural sector.