Angola's Agro-Industry With Potential to Promote National Production

16 July 2024
Angola Press Agency (Luanda)

Luanda — The potential of Angola's agro-industry and food processing allows the promotion of national production to reduce imports of food goods, the Secretary of State for Industry, Carlos Rodrigues, said today in Luanda.

When addressing the theme "Program for the Promotion of Manufacturing Industry", in the 20th thematic session promoted, on Tuesday, by the Ministry of Telecommunications, Information Technologies and Social Communication, he pointed to the textile, furniture, wood, petrochemical and metallurgical as other areas with potential to boost national production.

Despite this potential, he recalled the fact that the industries installed in the country, in general, produce below their installed capacity, as they depend on imports of raw materials.

For this reason, Angola spent, in 2023, 582 billion 151 million 373 thousand and 462 kwanzas on importing raw materials for incorporation into the production process, which implies a strong dependence on imports, he said.

In the same period, he recalled, the manufacturing industry represented 11.4% of the non-oil Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 8% of total GDP.

He added that, of the total, customs exemptions were granted in the order of 144 billion 978 million 483 thousand and 774 kwanzas, corresponding to 24 percent of the total value of raw material imports, within the scope of the new customs tariff.

According to the Secretary of State, the objective of the sector is to promote less dependence on imports in industrial ecosystems, as well as to encourage the growth of exports with greater added value.

He highlighted that the country has 2,610 factories, with Luanda having the majority (1,307), Benguela (255), Cabinda (169), Huíla (131), Huambo (111), Namibe (99), Cuanza-Sul (70), Lunda-Sul (49), Lunda-Norte (48), Cuanza-Norte (40), Zaíre (42), Uíge (38) and Malenje (37).

Of this industrial park, there are three textile factories, with just more production needed to actually add value to the economy.

In addition, he mentioned existence of two development poles that are operating in Catumbela, Benguela province, and Viana, Luanda.

He mentioned that the Catumbela Hub has 139 companies installed, of which 34 are industries, while Viana has 417 companies, 198 of which are industries, in addition to the Special Economic Zone (ZEE), which has 231 companies, of which 141 are industries.

These industries allowed the creation of around 39,770 jobs. The weight of the manufacturing industry represents 11.4%, with the largest contribution falling on the food, beverage and tobacco segment, with 5.6 percent, and petroleum products, totaling 3.4%. ML/QCB/DOJ

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