The revival of cotton production in two locations in the city of Sumbe, the capital of Angola’s Kwanza Sul province, will begin in January 2016, according to technicians from the Ministry of Agriculture assessing the progress of the project.

The project comprises 2,824 hectares and it began with land clearing, conducted between November 2012 and March 2013, and required an investment of US$30.737 million, of which US$15.981 million were granted by the South Korean government in the form of a loan. The remaining US$14.756 million dollars was provided by the Angolan State Budget.

The project to re-launch cotton production began between August 2006 and December 2009 and the second phase was between January 2011 and July 2014.

Last Thursday, according to Angolan news agency Angop, the Ministry of Agriculture technicians spoke with project manager, Abel Bala Kinzeca, who said infrastructure work would be completed in December that planting of cotton and other crops would begin in January.

At the end of the visit, the provincial director of Agriculture, Isaiah Nawela, said the revival of cotton production was of benefit to communities and boosted the trade balance of the province and the country. (macauhub/AO)