It was approximately a decade ago that his interest in tomato production began: the young man, who is currently 25 years old, started producing this fruit when he was just 15 years old. At the beginning, according to what he told Angop, production took place in an area of three and a half hectares, using an irrigation system in the dry season, aiming to 'feed' the main markets in Angola.
There are three varieties of tomatoes produced, he said, namely Chico, Menga and Rio Grande, in an investment of 20 million kwanzas, which ends up being rewarded with high levels of production.
According to Mário Evaristo, the price varies from province to province, with the product being sold at 20 thousand kwanzas and 25 thousand kwanzas for each box in Benguela and Luanda, respectively.
Quoted by Angop, the young man said that at the center of his priorities, regardless of the difficulties, is stimulating production due to the demand for this fruit, especially in the 30 market, in the capital.
Regardless of the difficulties, he also promised to "not fold his arms" and continue the work, given that even with scarce resources he has been able to achieve high levels of production.
Therefore, he took the opportunity to ask that his project be included in agricultural credit actions, subsidies for fertilizers, insecticides and seeds, something he considers necessary in order to increase production, given that he has difficulties in taking care of some documents, such as the land concession title and feasibility study, writes Angop.
The project has 80 employees, most of whom are women. This is the case of Maria Madalena, who says she found a way to support her family here: "I ask the government of the province of Huambo and the Ministry of Agriculture to look at our brother Mário Evaristo, because if he grows up, we will too to grow", she said, quoted by Angop.
