Benguela - The Secretary of State for Agriculture and Farming João Cunha reiterated the Angolan government's support to increase rice production in the country to reduce rice imports.
Rice production in Angola is still in deficit, a situation that leads the country to spend huge financial resources importing large quantities to guarantee domestic consumption.
To reverse this situation, the government is implementing the National Plan to Promote Grain Production (Planagrão), which aims to produce 3.14 million tonnes of rice, wheat, soya, maize and beans in five years.
The Secretary of State emphasized that rice production is so important for the country that tops the list of products to be cropped in the 2023-2024 agricultural campaign.
According to the official, the suspension of rice exports from India, the world's largest producer, is driving up the price on the international market, which is an opportunity for Angola to invest in domestic production.
"Rice is one of the most important foods today, which weighs a lot in our basic basket to feed the population," the official said, adding that there are concrete conditions, namely soil and climate conditions, and men available to cultivate rice.
The official underscored the assistance being provided by the Credit Guarantee Fund (FGC), the Angolan Development Bank (BDA) and the Agrarian Development Support Fund (FADA), which have granted credit for farmers to produce without major difficulties.
Another incentive, Cunha said, is the definition of a minimum price for rice, which will benefit producers unable to sell, since the government will be able to buy the grain at a price that won't jeopardize production. JH/CRB/DAN/AMP
