Rwanda’s fruit, vegetable and flower exports generated $46 million from July in 2023 to February in 2024 alone before the fiscal year 2023/2024 closes, according to the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB).
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Statistics from NAEB show that horticulture exports increased to $58.1 million in 2022/2023 from $42.8 million a year earlier.
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Janet Basiima, the Division Manager of Export Markets Development & Innovation at NAEB, attributed the increase to efforts put in agriculture and linking farmers to markets.
Flower, fruit and vegetable exports from Rwanda increased from 40 tonnes per month in 2017 to 1,000 tonnes per month in 2024.
"Having increased international markets and training farmers on techniques to increase productivity has boosted Rwanda’s exports,” she said.
The fact that horticulture farming doesn’t take long to grow and harvest, she said, means that exporters have a chance to export their produce multiple times in a year.
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The government has facilitated farmers to make use of land suitable for horticulture as well as supported exporters to access international markets. This has in turn enabled farmers to increase produce they take to the market.
Access to international markets
According to Basiima, branding and marketing initiatives such as international exhibitions in particular have boosted Rwanda’s horticulture exports.
Such exhibitions include the Expo Doha 2023 which Rwanda participated in from October 2023 to March2024 in Qatar. The Expo is an international horticultural trade expo that attracted three million visitors from across the world.
"We supported farmers and exporters to participate in the exhibition so that they can secure deals on international markets,” she said, highlighting that some fruit, flower and vegetable exporters were able to seal deals during the expo.
Basiima said, however, that Rwandan exporters are yet to increase their capacity to serve the international demand.
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Patrick Kagabo Rubega, the CEO of Bella Flowers, said that attending the international exhibitions enable flower exporters and farmers to be aware of what international markets need and improve their produce based on feedback from buyers.
"As exporters, we must conduct market research. The exhibition on international stage is a key tool to do such research. This will help us secure deals at fair prices,” he insisted.
In the fiscal year 2022-2023, Rwanda exported flowers worth $4.5 million to the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Korea, and other international markets. At least 66 per cent of the exports were destined to the Netherlands, while 32 per cent went to the UK.
Rwanda is currently allowed to export flowers to UK at zero tariff
Potential market for avocados
According to NAEB, Rwanda has embarked on exporting avocados to Dubai and Europe through sea routes.
The second trial shipment in October 2023 saw 22.4 tonnes of Hass avocado shipped to the Netherlands, which is also the largest importer of avocados in Europe.
The shipment by sea of a refrigerated container holding 22.5 tonnes of Fuerte and Hass avocado varieties from Rwanda to Dubai, was flagged off on January 12 as the country continues its trial to export this much sought after fruit by an alternative means to air freight.
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Rwanda earned around $58 million from horticulture exports in the 2022/2023 fiscal year, which is almost 10 times the $6 million it got in 2012.
Avocado exports generated about $6.3 million – through selling about 3,200 tonnes to international markets– which is more than 13 times the roughly $440,000, around 2013.
Rwanda is confident it will achieve the target to generate $1 billion (approx. Rwf1.2 trillion) from agricultural exports in 2023/2024, considering the performance of the previous financial year.