Panguila: The Minister of Industry and Commerce, Rui Miguªns, highlighted on Friday, in the municipality of Panguila, the productive potential of the province of Bengo and reaffirmed the Government's commitment to increasing national production. In statements to the press, at the end of the visit to the agricultural products exhibition at the 12th edition of the Banana Fair, which opened this Friday in the province of Bengo, he stated that Angola must reach production levels capable of satisfying the domestic market and boosting exports.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the minister thanked the provincial governor of Bengo, Maria Ant³nia Nelumba, for the invitation, underlining the importance of initiatives that allow for the observation of advances in national production. The minister noted that Angola continues to register significant progress in the agricultural sector, citing that in the case of bananas, the country has already achieved significant results, positioning itself as the main exporter of the product in Africa and among the largest exporters worldwide.
"We will have to continue investing in this product, but the sample we have found here demonstrates that there is potential for the development of many other crops," he pointed out. Rui Miguªns recalled that the Government is implementing programs to encourage production, with emphasis on the "Transform Here" program, aimed primarily at small producers, with the objective of boosting the local economy and strengthening value chains.
In addition to supporting production, he highlighted the need to bring industry closer to production areas, encouraging national investors to install processing units near agricultural areas, reducing costs and adding value to production. "The province of Bengo is waiting for investors. We just need to all be united in this common purpose, which is to strengthen national production," he concluded.
The fair is the stage for the exhibition and marketing of agricultural production from Bengo and other provinces, with emphasis on bananas, as well as production factors such as agricultural machinery and equipment that are involved in the production chain. Established by the Bengo Provincial Government in 2012, the Banana Fair (Feiba) has been the largest business exchange in the province.
