Caála - The minister for Agriculture and Forestry, António Francisco de Assis, highlighted early in the week the need to focus on the mechanisation of wheat crops, with the aim to boost large-scale production.
The minister, who was speaking to the press on the sidelines of a wheat harvesting ceremony in one of the fields of Calenga commune, said Angola needs to continue to invest in wheat production to avoid, in the near future, its import for bread manufacturing and other by-products.
"The country is on the right path, we have very beautiful fields for wheat production, however we need to invest more in mechanisation, as it is not possible to harvest the grain with machetes, in fact it is quite painful", the minister said.
António Francisco de Assis highlighted as a challenge the creation of cooperatives and work groups by regions, so that the means to be distributed do in fact serve for production, sale and later payment of the equipment.
The minister added that the agriculture sector intends to distribute small equipment to reduce harvest losses and help producers to have greater income.
The Agriculture Ministry, Francisco said, will continue to identify the problems of the producers and the role of the State to find the best solutions, so that seeds and fertilisers could be guaranteed to meet the demands of rural families.
The official said Benguela, Bié and Huambo are currently the biggest wheat production provinces in the country, whilst tests are underway in Cuanza Norte and Malanje, a work that should continue in other areas of Angola.
The minister explained that the country has two varieties of wheat, one native and another of Zambian genetics, the latter with better conditions, since the grain starts to be formed earlier.
António Francisco de Assis said the country expects to harvest four tonnes of wheat per hectare, mainly, in fields whose producers benefited from seeds, technical assistance and fertilisers, while in the other areas it is forecasted at least 1.8 tonnes.
Wheat challenges in Calenga commune
The Wheat production in Calenga commune, Caála Municipality, Huambo Province was re-launched in February this year and is currently being conducted in an area of 30 hectares of land.
The initiative is part of the programme to boost production of this cereal is being conducted by 600 farming families members of two local cooperatives.
The cooperative expects to harvest above 13 tonnes to be directed to the Food Industry, Tourism and Trade Factory located in the Industrial Pole of Caála, dedicated to wheat transformation. VKY/ALH/Amp/jmc
