Angola’s western province of Benguela is recording a rapid increase in its annual volume of banana production. It follows several recent upgrades to the province’s agricultural infrastructure, including improved irrigation systems, reported Angola’s news agency Angop.

The province currently produces around 15,000 tonnes of bananas per year, but industry insiders expect output to reach as much as 50,000 tonnes by 2018, according to Angop’s report.

Official data show there are more than 200 banana producers in Benguela province, ranging from small farmers to large corporations. The region has approximately 650 fields cultivating the crop.

Benguela is currently the second largest producer of bananas in Angola, only behind Bengo province.

Fernando Assis, head of the provincial agriculture and rural development bureau, told Angop the local authorities welcomed foreign investment into the banana sector, especially for projects aiming to promote banana exports.