HAVANA - Cuba signed an agreement with the state of North Dakota Saturday to buy $20 million worth of agricultural products including peas, lentils, soy beans and spring wheat.

Miller Farms Exports clinched the first deal of the agreement, signing a contract Saturday to export 10,000 metric tons of peas worth about $2 million. Cuban officials anticipated more pea deals Saturday adding up to some $6 million.

"I couldn't be more pleased," Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., said via telephone to Cuban and North Dakota officials gathered in Havana. "I hope this relationship will continue."

Cuba has been under an American trade embargo for more than four decades, but a law passed by Congress in 2000 allows American food to be sold directly to Cuba on a cash basis. Since 2001, Cuba has contracted to buy more than $1.4 billion in American farm goods, including shipping and hefty bank fees to send payments through third nations.

But recent U.S. regulations that require Cuba to pay for the goods in full before they leave American ports has kept sales relatively stagnant since last year, according to Pedro Alvarez, head of the Cuban food import company Alimport.

Dorgan said Saturday he will continue to fight for regularized trade with Cuba.

"I think trade is very important, and that using it as a weapon in foreign policy is always inappropriate," he said. "Many of us are working very hard to erase some of the impediments (affecting trade with Cuba)."

Dorgan said he was planning to come to Cuba soon to discuss more business deals.

Roger Johnson, North Dakota's agriculture commissioner, led this week's delegation to the communist-run island, where they attended an annual trade fair in Havana.

Johnson called the trip "fruitful" and said Saturday's signing represented "by far the largest agreement we've had with Cuba."