Emmanuel Ntilengagna
Rwanda’s agricultural export revenues totaled over US$788.7 million (~859.5 billion RWF), a 45% increasefromUS$543.1 million (~591.8 billion RWF) in the same period corresponding to 2021.
Data as of December 2022 comes from the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB), whichwaspublished on the agency’s website last week.
The income for 2022 is currently five times his Rs 156 crore budget allocated for financing the agriculturesector in the2022/2023 financial year.
The report found that gains in both exports and re-exports are related to the current economic recovery(from the impact ofCovid-19), with increased movement of people and goods within and outside theregion, with most economic activity hasbeen reopened.
In this regard, the transport of people to Europe and other destinations has become regular, enabling tradewith Europe andthe rest of the world, the report said. Again, the report cites high prices of agriculturalcommodities on internationalmarkets as one of the drivers of registered growth.
“The unit prices of tea, coffee, fruits and vegetables also show positive trends, impacting the favorableexport performancecompared to the same period in 2021,” part ofthe report said.
Donatille Nibagwire, an exporter of horticultural products, told The New Times that the expected salesgrowth shows thecompany has begun to expand its presence in international markets. .
“First, Rwanda has become a well-known player in the international market,” she said, citing Dubai (UAE) asone of thenew markets for Rwandan agricultural exports, from which she buys many products. she added.
Another factor, according to Nibagwire, is that the economy is recovering from her Covid-19 pandemicand businesses arerelatively resilient. Agricultural economist Jules Ngango said higher prices were oneof the factors behind the increase inregistered export earnings, indicating that consumers in internationalmarkets appreciate the country’s agriculturalproducts. He said it was likely that
“These revenue increases from agricultural exports show that the country’s economic growth has also beenboosted,” hesaid.
In order to sustain the profits made, not only the quantity of agricultural products must be increased, butalso the qualityand better marketing of Rwandan products to boost Rwanda’s economic growth, Ngangosaid.
Demonstration of traditional raw materials (tea, coffee, pyrethrum).
Continuing to refer to the December 2022 NAEB report, tea, coffee and pyrethrum, which constituteRwanda’s traditionalexports, will generate more than US$212 million in 2022, rising to more than US$180million in 2021. showed a 17%increase compared to
In particular, tea export earnings increased by 10.3% from US$96.7 million in 2021 to US$106.73 million in2022. Thereport attributes a 3% increase in tea sales volume from 35,390 tons in 2021 to 36,477 tons in2022 and a fair price of$2.93 per kilogram versus $2.73 per kilogram. increase.
Speaking of Rwandan coffee, he generated $105 million in 2022, up from over $78.3 million in 2021.According to thereport, the 34% increase in coffee revenues was largely due to higher coffee prices,averaging $5.58 per kilogram in 2022.This represents a 31.2% increase from $4.48 per kilogram in theprevious year.
Export of non-traditional goods
Exports of non-traditional goods, considered Rwanda’s emerging commodity value chain, rose 59% from$362.4 million togenerate $576.6 million, the report said.
This includes fruits, vegetables, roots, tubers, legumes, grains, meat, live animals, eggs and dairy products.Under thisnon-traditional commodity export category, horticultural (vegetables, fruits and flowers) exportswill total over US$53.9million in 2022, up nearly 64.7% from over US$32.7 million in 2021.
Exported (live) animals and income from animals