The official, quoted by Rádio Nacional de Angola (RNA), said that the textile company started this year with a focus on cotton production by planting the first hundred hectares.
"This process has already begun, in January this year we planted the first 100 hectares in Baixa do Cassanje with 100 small producers from Baixa do Cassanje, so this process has already started, cotton was planted in Angola and in Baixa do Cassanje after so many years", said Jorge Amaral.
The official also indicated that the intention is to increase the planted area: "This year we estimate to quadruple the area, we are going to plant 400 hectares again in Baixa do Cassanje, we have now extended the program to 400 small producers".
"So Textang's plan is to achieve self-sufficiency in cotton produced in Angola in the next three, four years", he added.
Cited by RNA, he revealed that "to supply all of Textang's cotton needs and consumption" they need "an area of between 12,000 and 15,000 hectares".
In addition, Jorge Amaral also mentioned that from 2023 the company will operate in three 24-hour shifts, being "vital for this production rate" that they have "self-sufficiency in the cotton produced" in the country and can thus avoid import of this raw material.
"Textang will enter a process, starting in 2023, to work in three shifts 24 hours a day, all year round, a way that is vital for this rhythm of production that we have the self-sufficiency of the cotton produced in Angola and so we can avoid this situation where Textang is importing, as it does today, from countries like Ivory Coast, Senegal and basically Nigeria, which is a major cotton producer in Africa", he said, quoted by RNA.
