Namibia inaugurates first ever asparagus agro-processing factory

WINDHOEK, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Namibia on Friday inaugurated the first ever asparagus agro-processing factory in the country's northern region of Omusati.

It is the result of a memorandum of understanding that Namibia signed with the Spanish company Industrias Alimentarias de Navarra in 2017.

"The contribution of the agro-processing industry to the real value addition by the manufacturing sector is of vital importance and will need all our concerted efforts to ensure that this sector contributes its fair share to government coffers," Namibia's Vice President Nangolo Mbumba said at the inauguration.

"The asparagus agro-processing plant will act as a catalyst for sustained economic growth and shared prosperity," the vice president said.

The factory has 300 permanent workers of whom 80 percent are women and 200 harvesters who are only employed during harvest time.