Rwanda’s Coffee export revenues are expected to increase by 14 percent this year.

The profits are projected to rise from US$56 million (about Rwf33.3 billion) in 2010 to US$70 million (about Rwf41.6 billion) this year, Rwanda Coffee Development Authority (Ocir-café) said.

The authority plans to reach the target production of 22000 metric tonnes; in 2009 it was 16,000 tonnes.

Figures from Ocir-café further indicate that the country’s green coffee production increased by 21.8 percent in 2010.

Alex Kanyankole, the Director General of Ocir-café, explained that the projected increase in export revenues is due to improved quality of Rwandan coffee as well as higher prices on the world market.

"Coffee prices on the world market are expected to remain firm because there is a general shortage of coffee in major coffee producing countries,” Kanyankole added.  Rwanda exports more than 98 percent of its crop in the form of green beans. Harvesting, which mainly produces the Arabica variety, is done from March to July.

Last year, Ocir-café realised a whopping 51.3 percent increase in total coffee revenues.

The coffee authority also said that the cherry farm-gate, the price a farmer is paid per Kilo of produce, increased from Rwf145 per kg to Rwf195 per kg.

"We hope that, with this increased farmers’ incomes, producers will take better care of their coffee bushes and increase their yields,” Kanyankole said.

Rwanda Coffee Development Authority targets US$100 million (about Rwf59.5 billion) in foreign exchange earnings in 2012.

For this year, it wants to produce 35,000 tonnes through wider planting and improved farming techniques.

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