Africa-Press – Angola. Specialists in the Agricultural sector in the province of Cuanza-Norte estimate, for this year, in the municipality of Golungo Alto, the harvest of 300 tons of “red berry”, which corresponds to an increase of 70 tons, compared to the 230 tons produced in 2021. .
According to the head of the Technical Coffee Brigade, David Zua, in the last four years local production has been encouraging, with the exception of the 2020/2021 season, when production was below 230 tons, as a result of the drought recorded in almost the entire National territory.
David Zua stressed that his department controls around 3,700 hectares of coffee plantations, where 180 coffee growers are directly involved. In this, he raised the commitment of the 92-year-old Castro Paiva, as an example of the impetus given to the coffee industry, being the largest producer in the region, which has been active in the production of the grain since 1964, in a total area of 120 hectares, harvesting , annually, between 100 and 120 tons.
The farmer stated that, due to the lack of rain, last year allowed a crop of 2,000 kilograms of coffee, “which is my worst record in the history of coffee growers”. Manuel Castro Paiva said that he works with his own means and is clamoring for financing, to expand the area under cultivation and continue to increase production.
The producer was very concerned about the lack of interest given by the youth to work on the coffee plantations.
Another producer, Maurício da Costa, who has been in the coffee sector since 2009, stated that of the 15 hectares available, 13 are filled with coffee trees, an action that is being supported by 16 employees.
This year the producer foresees a harvest of 12 tons, although he is dissatisfied with the 290 kwanzas established for the official marketing of the kilogram of coffee, considered by the farmer as an unfair value, given the production costs, which range from farming, pruning, weeding and product collection.
He praised the work of the Technical Coffee Brigade and the Municipal Directorate of Agriculture in the search for national and international buyers, who go to meet the producers, allowing the commercialization of all stored product.
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