Luanda, Angola, 22 Sept – Angola’s agricultural sector needs to produce 4 million tons f grain per year to meet human, animal and industrial demand, the managing director of the National Grains Institute said in Luanda.

Speaking to Angolan news agency Angop about making best use of agricultural production, Benjamim Castello noted that Angola needed to increase maize production – currently 1 million tons per year – by 85 percent.

“Due to the rise in grain prices on international markets recently it is becoming essential to ensure local production of these products if we want to achieve food security in Angola as well as access to products at a lower cost,” he warned.

Castello also said that the focus could not be on increasing production and yields without making use of fertilizers within technically recommended standards and liming (mixing soil with lime) of soil in agricultural areas.

It is estimated that the Angolan agricultural sector can achieve average grain production of at least 2 million tons per year.

Castello noted that for that purpose, a Programme to Encourage an Increase in Maize Production was underway at the Ministry for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fishing set up to establish measure to achieve this aim. (macauhub)