The Government targets $104 million annually from floriculture and horticulture sector by 2018, up from current $10 million, an official said yesterday.

Tony Nsanganira, the state minister for agriculture, said this would be possible owing to the increasing number of investors in floriculture growing in Rwanda.

He was speaking at a meeting with investors from Japan and session on Japan floriculture experimental study that seeks ways to boost flower growing in the country.

The minister noted that current earnings from floriculture are still low compared to vegetables and fruits.

During the dialogue, Japanese companies, including Toyota, Hachimantai City and research organisations, explored ways to intervene in funding a firm, Bloom Hills, for seeds and seedlings developing, cultivation techniques, agricultural techniques and logistics to expand their activities in Rwanda.

The Japanese firm, Bloom Hills, is already developing farms and greenhouses in Kinigi Sector in Musanze District for flower growing.

"The government had already started growing flowers and horticulture in Gishari centre and few private investors have come on board in Rulindo District, but floriculture is the sector where we have not yet generated any profits.

We need more investors to develop the sector,” Nsanganira said.

He added that ‘because floriculture requires high technology and investment in transport, harvesting and storage, farmers would embrace the practice once they are trained and supported by the investors.

Nsanganira said flower products are still few compared to horticulture but past experience and challenges could be foundation of progress.

"Our investment will add value to Rwandan exports, expand to the world market as well as create job opportunities for the youth in rural areas,” Shungo Harada, managing director of Bloom Hills, said.

Japan is trying to expand floriculture in sub-Saharan Africa by experimenting with their technology using specific flowers from Japan to Rwanda, especially those with high prices on the international market, thus contributing to foreign exchange earnings.

Some of the technology also to be used includes solar energy, geothermal power, and rain harvesting to facilitate the growing.

Harada’s company targets to establish an export system to export flowers to The Netherlands and Japan, with the initial volume planned for 480,000 flower stems.

Starting next month, Bloom Hills Company plans to begin shipping 18,000 plants (stems) per week.

Takayuki Kusajima, of Toyota Motors Corporation, said Rwanda has potential to produce flowers with high value.

Kenya and Ethiopia top sub-Saharan Africa in exporting flowers, earning $699 million and $610 million, respectively, according to 2014 figures.

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