Cunene: At least 360 tons of tomatoes have been harvested at the Mukwamalanga farm, located within the Cafu Canal perimeter in the province of Cunene, representing an increase of 240 tons compared to the 2024 harvest. Farm owner Heloy Lucas shared this information with the press on the sidelines of the tomato harvest campaign launch, which was attended by Cunene Governor Gerdina Didalelwa.
According to Angola Press News Agency, Lucas said production tripled due to the expansion of the cultivated area from three to 10 hectares out of the 60 hectares available on the farm. He stressed that the harvest will continue until January 2026 and noted that corn was also sown in the same area. He projected a harvest of 100 tons of corn in January.
Governor Gerdina Didalelwa praised the tomato production, emphasizing that it demonstrates the province's progress in irrigated agriculture. She underscored that the Cafu canal is producing the desired results, as an expected harvest of 18,000 boxes of tomatoes has never been recorded on a farm before. "There is a lot of product, making it difficult to find a market for its sale due to the current supply. This is why entrepreneurs should invest in processing industries," she said.
According to the governor, there is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs to achieve this goal using the credit line made available by the Agricultural Development Support Fund (FADA). She spoke of the need to raise awareness among producers along the Cafu Canal about the calendar and product diversification to avoid only cultivating one type of product.
According to the governor, it is essential to organize production so that some opt for tomatoes while others opt for onions, potatoes, and sweet potatoes to avoid losses since the cost of seeds is high. On April 4, 2022, President Joao Louren§o inaugurated the Cafu Canal, a system that captures and transfers water from the Cunene River to several villages through a 165-kilometer pipeline. The Mukwamalanga farm, established in 2023, has created 20 direct jobs to date.
