Africa-Press – Angola. About five thousand tonnes of rice will be harvested, starting next April, in the municipality of Lukembo, Malanje, by the Angolan company Marsiris, after an investment of around US$5 million.
With the support of the Chinese multinational Yuan’s Hi-Tech Seed, the project has 600 hectares planted, according to the director for the commercial area of the company Marsiris, Li Yun.
Li Yun was speaking to the press, after the audience that the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, António Francisco de Assis, granted to the chairman of the Executive Committee of the Chinese multinational Yuan’s Hi-Tech Seed, Yao Zhengqiu.
According to the businessman, it is expected to harvest eight tons/hectare, an initiative that has already allowed 300 national workers to be employed.
The objective of the business group is to contribute to an increase in domestic production and help Angola to achieve food self-sufficiency to satisfy the national market.
With this, continued Li Yun, Marsiris also aims to be the largest producer and supplier of rice seeds to producers in the country, in line with the strategy of the grain production promotion program (Planagrão), already approved by the Executive.
The businessman also guaranteed availability to, from April (period of the first harvest), supply rice seeds to business producers and peasant families who intend to develop rice planting in the country.
The company’s project also includes training courses for farmers, with a view to improving rice cultivation techniques in Angola, as well as expanding planting areas to 6,000 hectares.
On the other hand, the general director of the National Seed Service of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Augusto Caetano da Silva, considered the company’s initiative as an asset that will support the promotion of rice cultivation in the country.
He referred that the first harvest of Marsiris will increase the availability of rice seed quantities in the national market, a fact that will influence the drop in import levels of this cereal in Angola.
Still in the same context, the director said that, in addition to this company, the sector has close to four companies that are dedicated to the multiplication of rice seeds to ensure the production of this grain.
Marsiris is working on seeking partnerships to encourage and develop the production of rice seeds in Angola.
Angolan company, created in 2020, has a partnership with the Chinese multinational Yuan’s Hi-Tech Seed CO LTD, a world leader in engineering and production of rice seeds.
Yuan’s is a company that deals directly with the production and formation of high-yielding seeds, in addition to supporting scientific research and providing technical support and training to local centers in the countries where it operates.
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