Chinese-owned Kosse e Filhos has invested 127.1 million kwanzas (about US$243,400) in establishing the first bottle factory in the central Angolan province of Bié, Angop says.

The Água do Bié factory can produce 2,000 0.5-litre bottles and over 50 18-litre containers an hour, and can bottle mineral water, according to a report carried by The Angolan state-run news agency last Friday.

The factory has water treatment facilities, a water quality control laboratory and storage space, the report says.

It says the Angolan government is urging private investment in industrial facilities, in line with its current national development plan.

The plan envisages facilities for processing farm produce and manufacturing consumer products, for the purpose of import substitution, Angop says.