[Editorial] Fix quality issues to boost horticulture exports

The National Agricultural Export Board (NAEB) has embarked on a countrywide exercise to register horticulture exporters as it moves to strengthen collaboration with sector players to ensure quality and boost competitiveness. The drive is timely and will help in fully harnessing the vast untapped potential in the sector, which will subsequently boost export volumes. Increased coordination among key stakeholders will ensure that the sector potential is fully harnessed, especially at the export level. The key target of the drive including exporters of vegetables, fruits and flowers or those who plan to start such export should embrace this exercise without fail. At the end of this drive, they will be the key beneficiaries in terms of seamless collaboration to boost volumes and quality of horticultural exports. With increased coordination among all horticulture exporters, the quality and volume of horticulture exports will grow to levels that will help the country meet its national objectives. Therefore, it is important that all actors in the sector work and plan together as an industry to address the various challenges affecting the sector. For Local horticulture exporters, the exercise will also help promote fair competition besides boosting quality. Also, registering is key because in the past, the sector has grappled with unscrupulous exporters. Registering will ensure that only exporters with the right attributes serve under the sector to prevent compromising the quality of Rwanda’s horticulture exports on the global market which is very competitive. Rwanda has intensified efforts geared at increasing exports over the past few years, particularly for the non-traditional products like flowers, vegetables and fruits. However, NAEB must also intensify efforts in dealing with challenges, such as post-harvest handling and packaging, encouraging diversification and introduction of new varieties to boost the sector’s competitiveness. The future of the country’s horticulture sector is certainly bright as long as these efforts are sustained.

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[Editorial] Fix quality issues to boost horticulture exports