Luanda - The Angolan Government plans to produce, from 2027, a minimum of 300,000 tons of rice, to cover around 50% of the total consumption need for this cereal in the country, the secretary of State for Agriculture and Livestock, João Cunha, announced Tuesday, in Luanda.
The leader, who was speaking during the presentation of the program to promote agricultural production, recalled that, currently, the country produces close to 40,000 tons of rice, with an increase expected this year, as a result of the agricultural promotion.
In the initial phase, he said, this plan will cover the provinces of Bié, Cuando Cubango, Huambo, Malange, Moxico and Uíge, and later the other provinces, whose history of rice production is justified.
Still in the cereal sector, the Secretary of State also recalled that Angola has an annual need for 10 million tons of corn for human consumption and use as feed for raising poultry, pigs and cattle.
Given this need, current production of this cereal is still below demand, with a harvest of around three million tons/year.
Given this scenario, João Cunha said that from 2027 onwards, it is expected to produce a minimum of more than four million tons of corn, 14 million tons of cassava and more than 556 thousand tons of reindeer potatoes.
In the same vein, he also said that the agricultural promotion program envisages the cultivation of one million 102 thousand tons of soybeans, 583 thousand and 75 tons of beans, 703 thousand tons of tomatoes, more than 825 thousand tons of onions and 761 thousand tons of citrus fruits.
Coffee and cocoa cultivation
The Secretary of State announced that, to encourage coffee production, more than 300 million seedlings will be introduced by 2027, aiming to reach the target of around 120 thousand tons of this product and relaunch this export crop.
He recalled that, in the 70s, Angola was one of the three largest coffee producers in the world, with cultivation of 266 thousand tons.
In relation to cocoa cultivation, the leader said that a program is underway to relaunch its production, expanding the border to other provinces such as Uíge, Malanje, Cuanza-Norte, Cuanza-Sul, with the goal of reaching five thousand and 600 tons.
In the palm tree row, the forecast is to produce 7.5 million seedlings. In this segment, the country has 16 thousand and 66 producers involved, in the provinces of Cabinda, Bengo, Benguela, Cuanza-Norte, Cuanza-Sul, Malanje, Uíge and Zaire.
On the other hand, he mentioned that the program to relaunch cotton production is already underway, for the second consecutive year, in Baixa de Cassange (Malanje), which involves the involvement of 200 families, who cultivate on 200 hectares.
This project, he continued, will feed the local fabric industry, which will absorb 30 thousand tons of cotton.
He added that, in 2027, the program intends to involve 100 thousand families, who will be able to cultivate on an equal number of hectares, in the provinces of Malanje (75%), Cuanza-Norte (10%), Cuanza-Sul (10%) and Benguela (5%).
Livestock production
As for the livestock sector, the production of approximately 141 thousand and 960 tons of chicken meat is projected by the end of 202, which could represent a coverage of 53.4% of the internal need. ASS/QCB/DOJ
