Rwanda forecasts high coffee production

ARUSHA – Rwanda expects production of fully washed coffee to jump to 35 000 tonnes by 2008 but drought affecting the region poses a risk, the central African specialty coffee producer said on Friday.

The country estimates that production will come in at 31 000 tonnes in the 2005/06 (Oct-Sept) season but could drop to 28 000 tonnes if drought conditions affect growing areas. “By 2008, it is expected that we will achieve 35 000 tonnes of fully washed coffee representing 100 per cent of the total production from 240 washing stations,” said Faustin Bizimungu of Rwanda’s coffee authority, Ocir Cafi.Drought in eastern and central Africa has led countries in the region to revise down their production estimates for coffee.But officials say Rwanda has not been badly hit by the drought when compared with its neighbours Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania and Burundi.”We project 31 000 tonnes (this season), of which 8 000 tonnes will be fully washed coffee, but if there is no rain it will drop to 28 000 tonnes,” Bizimungu said at a conference on fine coffees held in Tanzania.Hurt by dry weather, Rwanda’s coffee output plunged to 17 000 tonnes in 2004/05 from 29 000 in the previous season but the country earned US$39 000 million compared with US$32 000 million in the previous season due to higher world prices.Rwanda has only 46 coffee washing stations from which it expects to produce 8 000 tonnes of washed coffee in the current crop year.The country’s coffee is attracting huge interest from buyers in the specialty market in Europe and United States after peace returned in the tiny country following the 1994 genocide in which 800 000 people were killed.Rwanda’s coffee is credited for its quality and is grown in high altitude areas with volcanic soils.The country also aims to increase the area under coffee and hopes to receive high revenues from specialty coffee exports to cut its trade deficit and high poverty levels.About 80 million bushes are grown by 500 000 families on 33 000 hectares, Ocir said.-Nampa-Reuters”By 2008, it is expected that we will achieve 35 000 tonnes of fully washed coffee representing 100 per cent of the total production from 240 washing stations,” said Faustin Bizimungu of Rwanda’s coffee authority, Ocir Cafi.Drought in eastern and central Africa has led countries in the region to revise down their production estimates for coffee.But officials say Rwanda has not been badly hit by the drought when compared with its neighbours Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania and Burundi.”We project 31 000 tonnes (this season), of which 8 000 tonnes will be fully washed coffee, but if there is no rain it will drop to 28 000 tonnes,” Bizimungu said at a conference on fine coffees held in Tanzania.Hurt by dry weather, Rwanda’s coffee output plunged to 17 000 tonnes in 2004/05 from 29 000 in the previous season but the country earned US$39 000 million compared with US$32 000 million in the previous season due to higher world prices.Rwanda has only 46 coffee washing stations from which it expects to produce 8 000 tonnes of washed coffee in the current crop year.The country’s coffee is attracting huge interest from buyers in the specialty market in Europe and United States after peace returned in the tiny country following the 1994 genocide in which 800 000 people were killed.Rwanda’s coffee is credited for its quality and is grown in high altitude areas with volcanic soils.The country also aims to increase the area under coffee and hopes to receive high revenues from specialty coffee exports to cut its trade deficit and high poverty levels.About 80 million bushes are grown by 500 000 families on 33 000 hectares, Ocir said.-Nampa-Reuters