WESTERN PROVINCE

Minister of Commerce Protais Mitali has said that government will improve and promote tea plantations in Rubavu district to meet current export demands.

Making the speech during a visit to Rubavu district to officially launch the large-scale plantation of tea, he said it was one of Rwanda’s greatest exports and much more could be achieved in the sector.

Ultimately, Rwanda wants to compete as a world-renowkned brand for the crop. Tea will be planted along Lake Kivu shores alongside other trees provided by researchers shown to have no negative effects on the tea leaves.

"This is one of the government’s current policies of economic revelation which is based on increasing agricultural production countrywide especially in tea, one of the crops that are needed on the world market,” Mitali said.

"Some of the problems that have affected tea growing were lack of fertilizers and poor management. This new policy therefore of planting tea together with other trees will help in provision of natural manure thus a hope for better futures harvests.”

According to vice-mayor of economic development Evariste Bizimana, Rubavu district through guidance of agriculturalists chose to put more emphasis on Irish potatoes, Bananas and tea as the three major crops the district would focus on.

District authorities will do everything possible to ensure people’s full understanding of the government’s economic revolution policy, he said. 

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