State ‘spends’ more than USD 30 million on the import of nearly 12 thousand tons of seeds

Despite the volume of imports, domestic production in the 2024/2025 agricultural year stood at 6,930 tons of seeds.

The Angolan State disbursed 31.7 million dollars in 2025 for the import of nearly 12 thousand tons of seeds, announced the Director-General of the National Seed Service (Sense), Augusto da Silva, during the consultative council of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

According to the official, of the total 11,993 tons imported, 6,331 corresponded to cereal and legume seeds, a purchase that cost around 14.8 million dollars.

During the same period, 2,554 tons of vegetable seeds and 2,405 tons of seed potatoes were also imported, amounts budgeted at 11.4 million dollars and 2.3 million dollars, respectively.

Despite the volume of imports, domestic production in the 2024/2025 agricultural year stood at 6,930 tons of seeds, mainly maize, beans, and wheat, supplied by only two companies, the official stated.

Augusto da Silva added that last year vegetable seeds — “unfortunately the most smuggled” — recorded the highest percentage of samples submitted for laboratory analysis.

Of the total 269 samples analyzed in 2024, according to the official, 73.98% corresponded to vegetable seeds. He further explained that this type of seed has a short shelf life and deteriorates quickly when not properly stored.

For the next agricultural year, Sense expects to produce around 7,500 tons of seeds, including maize, beans, rice, wheat, soybeans, massango, and massambala.