Fisher Global Ltd, an agriculture export company based in Rwamagana District in the Eastern Province, recorded a sharp increase in chili export volumes in the first quarter of 2026, with shipments doubling from about three containers during the same period last year to six containers this year.

According to the company’s General Manager Herman Uwizeyimana, the increase was partly driven by carryover stock from previous harvest seasons, which was exported during the first quarter of 2026.

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"Season A harvest begins in January, but some of the exports came from produce that had remained in stock and was sold later,” he explained.

He attributed the growth to increased irrigation, better pest management and stronger adoption of commercial farming practices, noting that farmers had applied lessons from pest challenges experienced in previous seasons.

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Uwizeyimana said the Middle East conflict had not significantly disrupted his company’s exports, noting that dried chilli is mainly sold to China and India and can still be shipped through air transport.

He contrasted this with exporters of fresh fruits and vegetables, who are more exposed to disruption due to reliance on Dubai as a key market and the need for faster logistics.

"Even with the Middle East conflict, we continued exporting because our markets are mainly in Asia,” he said.

His experience reflects a broader national trend.

Rwanda’s export crop production increased by 39 per cent in the first quarter of 2026, helping agriculture expand by 8 per cent and contribute 1.6 percentage points to the country’s overall economic growth.

This is according to the latest report by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR).

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Within agriculture, food crops production increased by 3 per cent, while export crops recorded the strongest growth.

Coffee earnings rise

Coffee producers say the increase was largely driven by stronger performance from the previous harvest cycle.

Rwanda’s coffee sector rebounded strongly in 2025, recording its highest output in six years, with exports reaching 23,860 tonnes of green coffee and generating more than $148.6 million in revenue, according to the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB).

Jeremie Iyakaremye, a coffee exporter based in Nyamasheke and Kirehe districts, said increased coffee exports in the first quarter were driven mainly by strong performance from the previous harvest season.

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However, he noted that rising operational costs, particularly transport, were felt across the value chain amid disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict.

"Exports increased based on last year’s production, even though operational costs such as transport went up due to the Middle East crisis,” he said, adding that the increase in coffee cherry prices was also linked to improved production performance in the previous season.

Iyakaremye highlighted that exporters are now required to make higher investments to sustain volumes.

On production, he said fertiliser availability remains a major concern and could affect future output if not properly managed. He called for stronger coordination through coffee washing stations to ensure farm inputs are distributed efficiently to farmers.

Iyakaremye said his coffee is mainly exported to markets in the United States, United Kingdom, Russia and Germany, noting that shipments were not halted but became more costly during the Middle East tensions.

Fulgence Sebazungu, president of the Rwanda Coffee Cooperatives Federation, said first-quarter export performance was largely driven by coffee harvested in 2025.

He noted that coffee harvesting typically begins in March and April, meaning exports recorded early in the year are often supported by stock carried over from previous seasons.

"The increase mainly came from last year’s production because some volumes had not yet been exported,” he said.

Sebazungu added that earlier fertiliser supply challenges linked to changes in the Tubura distribution system had been resolved, while the sector is now focusing on sustaining productivity.

He also noted that the minimum price for quality coffee cherries was increased by 25 per cent to Rwf750 per kilogramme in 2026.

Production in the tea sector decreased slightly during the first quarter of 2026, even as export performance remained resilient.

Tea production declined slightly from 28,759,960 kilogrammes in Q1 2025 to 28,286,783 kilogrammes in Q1 2026, according to data from the federation.

Philbert Shumbusho, President of the Federation of Tea Farmers’ Cooperatives in Rwanda (Ferwacothe), said production was affected by prolonged sunshine during the quarter.

Shumbusho said tea exports are influenced by the auction system through which Rwanda sells tea, meaning shipments recorded in one quarter may reflect transactions from earlier production cycles.

"There is one auction through which tea is sold and sometimes there are delays, meaning exports may increase even when current quarter production has not,” he said.

He also warned that possible effects of Middle East tensions could emerge in Q2 and Q3, particularly on prices, noting that Asian markets including Pakistan and China account for around 70 per cent of Rwanda’s tea exports.