The combined value of building contracts awarded by the public sector in Portugal grew to €2.04 billion (US$2.52 billion) last year, the most since 2011.

The Portuguese Association of Civil Construction and Public Works Industry says the public sector invited bids for building contracts together worth €2.95 billion last year, 68 percent more than the year before.

A report byXinhua says Portuguese building contractors will be busy again this year.

The construction industry will need another 70,000 workers this year, the Chinese state-run news agency quotes the head of the industry association, Manuel Reis Campo, as saying.