Angola will become self-sufficient in wheat flour production by 2020, taking into account the forecast of the country’s three mills producing 208,000 tons per year, totaling 840,000 tons.
At present, the country’s needs for wheat flour are estimated at around 520,000 tonnes and local production is around 420,000 tonnes per year – an annual deficit of 100 tonnes, which is imported, according to Ministry of Industry data provided by spokesman for the Angolan flour milling industries, César Torn.
Currently, the three national mills have installed capacity to produce 700 thousand tons of wheat flour annually, contributing to the supply of the market, the reduction of imports, and the creation of direct and indirect jobs in Luanda and Benguela.
Until 2017, before the inauguration of GMA and Kikolo, all flour consumed in Angola was imported. The three units are the result of a US $ 300 million private investment.
In addition to the production of wheat flour, Angolan mills also produce pellet meal, which is exported and, consequently, contributes to increased exports and foreign exchange revenues.
The resumption and dynamization of national agricultural production is another of the themes that the Angolan milling industry liked to see on the march, because in order to produce flour, companies must import one million tons of wheat per year.
If wheat is produced in Angola, the activity of small and medium farmers will be boosted, employment increased, people settled in the provinces and foreign exchange savings strengthened.
Due to the uncertainty of the energy and water supply networks, the factories are equipped with generators for the supply of energy in case of interruption of supply by the public grid. Additional water reservoirs have also been created to ensure the autonomy of the factories for several days in the event of a public supply failure.”
Competition from imported flour, which enters Angola at lower prices due to VAT exemption and its lower quality, are also constraints faced by GMA, Kikolo and Leonor Carro.
