Rwanda Horticulture Development Authority (RHODA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture will set up collection centres for fruit farmers’s produce.

The move is aimed at enabling purchasers access them effectively.

This was confirmed, yesterday, after a one day meeting organized by RHODA and aimed at connecting farmers to purchasers.

According to RHODA Director General, Dr Ndambe Nzaramba, farmers have been facing various challenges in as far as effective access to their buyers which leads to their products getting spoilt.

"We are going to construct collection centres in some districts where purchasers will be buying these products instead of farmers carrying them to the industries,” he said.

Some fruit farmers, especially in remote areas, said that transportation to their main customer, Inyange Industries in Kigali, is always a burden.
 
"One time I brought my pineapples to Inyange Industries from Ngoma District and spent the whole day without seeing anybody. My products got spoilt.

I am sure if these centres are established in our districts they will help us so much in as far as reducing transport costs,” said Jean Rugaba, a farmer from Ngoma District.

Nyagatare, Ngoma, Kamonyi and Nyamasheke  will be among the districts where collection centres will be set up.

Fruits grown include pineapple, passion fruits, mangoes and avocados.

Ends