Otega O
Alot of businesses across the globe are already feeling the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The novel virus has forced companies to close down or change modes of operation. Some businesses are already counting their losses.
Quiminha Farms, Angola, is one of them. The brain behind the agricultural project, particularly in the first phase, was to export 8,000 tonnes of bananas and potatoes yearly. And based on the European market, the export would be increased.
Pedro Silveira, the deputy director-general, during a brief interview to ANGOP, said that plans were on the way to tackle the bureaucratic issues. So, that wasn’t going to prevent export from taking place this year. However, postponement of the export (with no new date in sight), is now possible because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Silveira, the internal dealings for export to take place smoothly had already been taken care of. So, as soon as the global pandemic fades away, potato and banana export may likely start.
He also went further to state that the company’s idea was to export, by air, the first batch of bananas and sweet potatoes, so long as the COVID-19 situation is under control.
The Quiminha Farm is the biggest agricultural project in Angola. It receives its water supply from the country’s biggest pumping center, which makes use of the Bango River. The Angolan Government created the project in 2012.
The Quiminha Agricultural Center has also gulped over 146 million Euros from the Angolan Government since initiated. The operation and management of this agricultural project were handed over to the company, Agroquiminha.
In addition to the many vegetables, fruits, tubers, and root crops, Quiminha has also invested in other agricultural products like poultry breeding. Yearly poultry production is 24 million eggs.
