Lisbon, Portugal, 19 Jul – The exploitation of ornamental stones, the wood industry and furniture, as well as agriculture and livestock, are major investment areas in Angola’s Huila province, indicates a market study produced by the Portuguese Industrial Association (AIP).

Despite weak points with respect to access and the transport system, “Huila province is endowed with a strong regional production system”, asserts the study cited by Portuguese news agency Lusa, which will be presented next week in Angola.

Given the competitive advantages offered by the industrial fabric of Lubango city, the prevalent manpower and existing natural resources, the study’s authors indicate four sectors where investment could be directed.

The agro-food industry is one of them, where “meat transformation is a high-potential sector” along with beverages, bearing in mind that “international indicators rank the country second in the world after India regarding the evolution of beverage production, especially beer.”

The wood and furniture industry has been sustained by the growth of public and private construction (housing), the improved road network and access to now demined forest areas, and is another privileged investment sector.

The others are ornamental stone, and the construction and public works industry.

The study recalls that Huila province contains large reserves of several billion cubic metres of black granites, “easy to exploit and which have been accepted on the global market to such an extent that in less than three years demand has far outstripped supply, while the only global competitor is South Africa.”

According to Angolahub today the study also identifies various assets that can help develop investment in those sectors, such as the Humpata Experimental Agriculture Station, the Tchivinguiro Agrarian Institute, restored in 2001, and the planned establishment of a science and technology pole next to the new Boa Viagem industrial zone. (macauhub).