New market to specialise in fruits

KIGALI - Kigali City Council and the Ministry of Agriculture will construct a new market that will specialise in sale of fruits and vegetables within the city but also create 25000 new jobs. The proposed joint project will cost Rwf3 billion ($6 million) and a site to accommodate the market is yet to be identified. City Mayor Dr. Aisha Kirabo Kakira, said the market will boost trade within the city and act as an incentive for the producers to intensify their out. According to a study, producers have been loosing between 30-40 percent of these perishable products before reaching the consumer. This prompted city authorities and MINAGRI to construct the market that would help minimise losses. “The market will be critical in the development and strengthening of this sector since Kigali is a good market base for these products,” the mayor said. The mayor said Rwanda had a great potential for growth of horticultural products but was saddened by the fact that hotels in the country were importing these products. The mayor was upbeat that when the facility is put in place, it will help in serving this lucrative domestic market. Farmers would also be motivated to intensify their output. More important, traders will be encouraged to export their out put. The facility will include; fruits and vegetable packaging units, temperature controlled storage units, storage facility, market information services and office space for producers and traders. Ends