Luanda: The So Filipe farm, a fruit producer in the municipality of Caimbambo, Benguela province, experienced a significant setback this agricultural season, losing 50% of its production due to distribution challenges, as revealed by its owner, Filipe Sapalalo, to ANGOP. The loss encompasses lemons, oranges, tangerines, and mangoes, with the total estimated at approximately two and a half tons. Currently, lemons and oranges lie scattered on the farm floor, left to rot.
According to Angola Press News Agency, since commencing operations in 2015, Sapalalo has grappled with the poor condition of access roads, which restricts the movement of heavy vehicles. Consequently, the farm relies on three-wheeled motorcycles, known locally as kaleluias, to transport produce. Given the farm's regular output of five tons per agricultural season, the logistics become impractical due to the cost of freight, which ranges between 25,000 and 30,000 kwanzas per load.
Filipe Sapalalo, who has been self-funding his operations, expressed his desire to obtain a 3,500-kilogram van to facilitate the transport of his produce to Cubal and the city of Benguela. This move, he believes, could increase income and mitigate the recurring losses. Furthermore, he is keen to apply for government programs to acquire a tractor and more economical diesel water pumps, aiming to boost production.
Sapalalo emphasized that with these resources, the farm's cultivated area could expand from the current five hectares to the full 27 hectares he owns. The availability of a tractor and diesel water pumps would not only enhance citrus production but also allow for the large-scale production of corn, sorghum, and millet.
Despite the challenges, the farm has received some support from the Municipal Agriculture Office, including water pumps, hoses, and bags of fertilizer. Sapalalo remains optimistic about the potential of the region, citing its fertile lands and historical significance as the largest citrus producer in the province, a legacy from colonial times when it supplied the beverage industry.
Sapalalo also expressed interest in diversifying into coffee production, a crop more resilient to the area's drought cycles. He has prepared two hectares for an experimental phase with robusta coffee, following an unsuccessful attempt with seeds from Bengo province. He now plans to source arabica coffee from Ganda.
The farmer employs three permanent workers, with additional help from family members, as he continues to strive for improvements in access and infrastructure, hoping for intervention from the provincial government and local administration to enhance connectivity in the region.
