Cuba is expecting more than 340 US business representatives to attend the latest round of trade talks in which communist officials hope to sign deals worth about $100 million.
Those attending from the United States will primarily be producers of American farm goods.
"This shows a great interest on the part of American businesses," Mr Pedro Alvarez, chairman of the Cuban food import company Alimport, said last night.
With that growing interest has come increased pressure on the US government by the American companies and even members of Congress to lift trade and travel restrictions against Cuba, Mr Alvarez said.
Four decades of trade sanctions against Cuba have been tightened under the Bush administration.
Yet Mr Alvarez was optimistic that President Bush in his second term will start heeding requests from US business interests and lawmakers - particularly those from farm states - to ease restrictions.
"I have absolute confidence that intelligence will prevail," Alvarez said. "I think the time is right."
Under an exception to the sanctions, American agricultural goods can be sold to the island on a cash-only basis. Since Cuba began taking advantage of the exception in 2001, it has contracted to buy more than $900 million in American farm goods, including shipping and hefty bank fees to send payments through third nations.
Cuban officials say that figure will reach $1 billion by the end of the year.
More than 165 US companies will be represented in this week's talks, which run from Wednesday to Friday. More than half of the participants come from the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas and Maine.
AP