HAVANA AP – Communist Cuba expects to sign contracts for much as $150 million in American agricultural goods next week at the largest gathering of U.S. farm producers here since Fidel Castro fell ill last summer.

Pedro Alvarez, chairman of the island’s food import company Alimport, said that talks beginning Monday should produce enough deals to ensure Cuba buys as much U.S. goods in 2007 as it did last year. About 100 American farm groups and companies from 22 U.S. states are participating.