Rwanda’s annual agricultural export revenues jump by 45 per cent representing over $788.7 million (about Rwf859.5 billion) in 2022 from $543.1 million (about Rwf591.8 billion) in the same period of 2021.
According to the recent report by the country’s National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB), the 2022 revenues are five times more than the Rwf156 billion budget allocated to financing the sector in the current fiscal year 2022/2023.
NAEB further indicates that good prices for agricultural products at the international markets as one of the drivers of the registered growth.
“Coffee, Tea, vegetable and fruits unit prices also are recorded some positive trends hence influencing the good export performance compared to the same period in 2021,” read the report in part.
Exporters are now saying that the revenue jump was expected following the good performance of Rwandan farm produce in the international markets.
“Our country has become a known figure in the international markets especially, in the Middle East, to be specific, Dubai (UAE) which is currently buying most of our agricultural produce,” said Donatille Nibagwire, a horticulture exporter.
He adds that the good record has also been achieved since the economy of the country is already recovering from the shocks such as Covid-19.
This report is a good indication that the products from the country have started gaining recognition from global markets and that there is a need to increase not only the quantity of agricultural produce, but also the quality and better branding and marketing of the Rwanda’s products in order to grow the country’s economic performance, said Jules Ngango, an agricultural economist.
Coffee, tea and pyrethrum performance
According to the report, some of the country’s traditional agricultural commodities such as coffee, tea and pyrethrum showed some good growth from over $180 million in 2021to over $212 million in 2022 representing an increase of 17 per cent.
In particular,tea export revenues increased by 10.3 per cent from $96.7 million in 2021to $106.73 million in 2022.
This is as a result of a three per cent increase in tea sold to 36,477 tonnes in 2022 from 35,390 tonnes in 2021, and to good prices of $2.93 a kilogramme against $2.73 a kilogramme, respectively.
Coffee on the other hand generated $105 million in 2022, from over $78.3 million in 2021 representing 34 per cent rise due to good coffee prices which stood at $5.58 on average per kilo in 2022 as compared to $4.48 a kilo in the previous year.
Non-traditional agricultural commodities export
Rwanda’s emerging non-traditional agricultural commodity value chains such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, cereals, roots and tubers, live animals, and meat, eggs and dairy products generated $576.6 million, from $362.4 million representing 59 per cent increase.
The report further indicates that horticulture (vegetables, fruits and flowers) exports fetched over $53.9 million in 2022 from over $32.7 million in 2021 which is 64.7 per cent increase.
Revenues from exported cereals (grains and flours) brought in $160 million in 2022, up from $113.7 million in 2021, representing a 41 per cent increase while animal (live) and animal product such as meat, eggs and milk, more than doubled, reaching $124 million in 2022, from over $57.7 million in 2021.
The country is now targeting to generate $1 billion in annual agricultural exports by end of 2024.
