RDB pondering Middle East markets for Rwandan exports

The government of Rwanda through Rwanda Development Board (RDB) has commissioned a market analysis that will help it to assess the potential of the Middle East market for the country’s products. The analysis, which is expected to end this year, will involve studies on quality, quantity, potential clients and product packing. It will also focus on logistics involved to distribution, warehousing and potential government revenue. “Its supposed to be a thorough market and demand analysis, terms of reference have been drown which will be sent to the commissioned person in the Middle East,” said George Mulamula, RDB’s Principal Deputy CEO. Mulamula said that once the project proves to be viable, RDB which is the facilitator, will support local cooperatives, build their capacity to produce the quantity and quality desired by the market. “We want to build capacity for cooperatives to have an entrepreneurship approach in order to sustain the demand and the market,” he emphasised. Two year ago, a high powered Rwandan delegation toured Middle East as part of the efforts to attract potential investors and explore market. After the road show, the region was considered as a major potential export destination for Rwandan products. Products such as coffee, tea, Japanese plums, pineapples, beans, bananas and passion fruits were exported though the market were not sustained and the same products are lined up for the Dubai market. Mulamula acknowledged that the first initiative didn’t have enough information on the market and how to sustain it. “We are trying to avoid the first mistake and that’s why we need to know its viability before we commence the operation,” he added. Discussions also are ongoing with Rwandair to give proposal on how they can use it for transport. “We prefer Rwandair, because it can be a branding tool for our product but we will outsource another carrier if they are expensive,” he said. Rwanda has potential to produce and export because the products are organic, however both quality and the quantity produced remains insufficient. Ends

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RDB pondering Middle East markets for Rwandan exports