Government is set to increase its market share in the highly competitive global pyrethrum market by increasing its collaboration with research institutions as well as mobilising local farmers to intensify pyrethrum growing, an official has said.

Gabriel Bizimungu, the general manger of Rwanda’s sole pyrethrum processing company, SOPYRWA, has stated that the country accounts for 5 percent of the global pyrethrum market. New strategies aim at increasing it to 20 percent by June 2015.

Bizimungu said that strategies, which include mobilising and organising farmers, support actions and increasing collaboration with research institutions, have been put in place to help attain the target.

"The use of natural products offers an opportunity to develop organic products for export that earn a premium,” Bizimungu said.

In its five-year strategic plan, the company plans to intensify multiplication and distribution of improved planting materials of mineral and organic fertilizers as well as land consolidation of pyrethrum farms.

In a similar move to increase market share, pyrethrum production will be increased to 500 kilogram per hectare by June 2015, up from the current 250 kilogram per hectare, Bizimungu said.

This is expected to boost incomes of some 7,000 families grouped in 24 cooperatives that produce pyrethrum.
Bizimungu estimates that farmers will earn Rwf 735 million from unprocessed pyrethrum. Current farm gate prices stand at Rwf 1,000 per kg of dry flowers.

SOPYRWA also intends to add value to the crop so as to be able to produce pale extract, a raw material used to manufacture insecticides.

According to Bizimungu, the company intends to produce more products used in indoor and outdoor mosquito control.
Between 2008 and 2009, the company processed 209 tons of dry flowers and exported four tons of pale extract.

SOPYRWA projects 735 tons of dry flowers that will produce 12.8 tons of pale extract for the years 2010 and 2011.

Rwanda sells her pyrethrum products to Asia, America, Europe and some African countries.

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