Rwanda’s coffee production this year will be 26 tonnes higher than last year  and is expected to fetch some $60 million, a senior official said.

According to OCIR Café, the coffee authority in Rwanda, despite the shortfall in crop production, prices have been higher.

Alex Kanyankole, OCIR Café boss said that the 16 tonnes exported last year were valued at $38 million which was good given the fact that it was in the mid of the global commodities crisis.

"Coffee is considered as a necessity and that’s why it was not negatively affected by the global financial shake instead its consumption was increasing,” Kanyankole said.

Kanyankole added that coffee consumption per capita in America is at six percent while in Asia especially China, it is at 10 percent.

Apart from a typical coffee cycle, Kanyankole said that new plants will start yielding this year, paving way for increased production. Recently, the coffee body conducted soil and leaf analysis to identify the main deficiencies in the soil.

"We have exerted efforts to improve production along with the forecast of crop cycle and weather to register high records in the crop,” he said.

According to Kanyankole, new proposals have been set that would increase production and meet the orders.
Some of the sharp proposals include application of Nitrogen Phosphorous and Potassium (NPK), application of revised fertilizers and lining of coffee regions.

The coffee board official said the projected increase in production will positively impact coffee farmers due to increased demand that may push prices.

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