Arabfields, Maleeka Kassou, East, West & Central Africa Agriculture Correspondent — Rwanda’s agricultural export sector is entering a new phase, with earnings continuing to rise as the country expands production, improves export infrastructure and reaches new international markets.

Agricultural exports generated more than $893 million in the 2024/25 financial year, according to recent figures from Rwanda’s agricultural authorities. The result represents a sharp increase from $515.8 million in 2017, highlighting the growing importance of agriculture to the country’s foreign exchange earnings.

The progress is being driven by a combination of traditional commodities and newer high-value products. Coffee and tea remain central to Rwanda’s export economy, while vegetables, fruits, flowers, avocados and macadamia are gaining ground. Horticulture is becoming particularly important as exporters seek markets beyond Rwanda’s traditional destinations.

For farmers, the change is more than a set of national statistics. In Rwamagana District, avocado farmer Jean Nepomucene Rwagatore says improved access to seedlings, fertiliser and technical support has given him greater confidence in expanding production. Other farmers involved in coffee production are also replacing ageing trees with higher-yielding varieties, hoping that larger harvests will translate into better household incomes.

Coffee has provided another strong signal of the sector’s potential. Rwanda exported 23,860 tonnes of green coffee in 2025, generating more than $148.6 million, while export volumes increased by 39 percent and revenues rose by 65 percent compared with the previous year. Higher international prices played an important role alongside increased shipments.

The wider agricultural sector also recorded strong momentum in 2025. Export crop production increased by 32 percent, while coffee production rose by 60 percent and tea production by 8 percent. Investment in packhouses, laboratories, cold-chain facilities and coffee washing stations has helped exporters improve both quality and access to international markets.

Market diversification is becoming another important part of the strategy. Rwanda has been developing commercial links in China, the Middle East and India, while continuing to supply European and African markets. New export protocols for products such as chilli, avocado, macadamia and honey could give producers additional opportunities and reduce dependence on a limited number of destinations.

The government is now looking beyond the billion-dollar milestone. Its current strategy aims to lift annual agricultural export revenues to around $1.5 billion by 2029, while broader national plans seek to increase agricultural exports by about 13 percent annually. If that pace is maintained, the sector could approach the target within the next several years, although weather conditions, international commodity prices, logistics costs and access to foreign markets will remain important variables.

The outlook is therefore increasingly tied to value addition rather than simply producing larger volumes. Better processing, stronger quality controls and more efficient transport could allow Rwandan producers to capture a larger share of the final value of their products.

For thousands of farmers, that transition will ultimately be measured not in export statistics but in what reaches their pockets at the end of the season. Rwanda’s challenge now is to ensure that the expansion of agricultural exports translates into lasting income gains in rural communities while building a more competitive and diversified export economy.