RWANDA – Rwanda is set to expand its market for coffee and tea into China following the Chinese ambassador pledge to open market into their country, reports The New Times.
Speaking during a visit to Rwanda Farmers Coffee Company, the Chinese Ambassador in Rwanda, Henry Rao Hongwei assured Rwandan coffee and tea producers of a ready market in the Asian nation.
The envoy has also promised to attract more investors to Rwanda by providing the country with more information on available opportunities in the coffee and tea sector.
“Rwanda is well known for its high quality coffee and tea.
I do believe there will be a big market, a big potential for Rwandan coffee in china.
The bilateral relationship between Rwanda and China is at the best stage currently following the mutual visits by heads of state,” he said.
New strategies by the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB) in Rwanda have seen the country’s coffee record an impressive performance in the global market making the country scoop international coffee awards.
This has translated to the expression of interest of other countries to buy the products, China being among them.
Rwanda’s coffee has been able to compete with global producers like Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Guatemala, India, Nicaragua and Honduras, known to be the best producers of coffee in the world.
Rwanda’s superior quality teas resulting from favourable weather conditions in tea growing area has seen the country’s tea prices compete favourably with other giants in the East African countries market including Kenya, fetching up to US$4 per glass.
Tea production levels in the country currently stands at about 15,000 tonnes grown on 26,897ha earning the country US$8.6 million from tea exports.
Investors have shed more light into the future of the tea and coffee industry with Sorwathe being one the latest to open green tea processing plant in the country.
