Coffee farmers are expected to earn more in 2026 after the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB) raised the minimum price for quality, well-ripened coffee cherries to Rwf750 per kilogramme, up 25 per cent from Rwf600 in 2025. The price, commonly known as farm gate price is the lowest rate at which coffee cherries can be bought from farmers. NAEB said the new price takes effect immediately and applies throughout the 2026 coffee season. ALSO READ: Farmers upbeat as coffee cherry prices rise by 25% For farmers, the adjustment comes as a timely boost, following a strong year for the country’s coffee sector driven by rising global prices and higher local production compared to the previous year. Rwanda’s coffee sector is sustained by around 400,000 farmers, according to NAEB. Farmers see stronger returns Leaders of Farmer organisations say the higher farm gate price strengthens incomes and incentives to invest in quality production. “We are happy with the price; it is a good one. Compared to last year, it has increased,” Fulgence Sebazungu, president of the Rwanda Coffee Cooperatives Federation, told The New Times. “What matters most is that the price does not fall back after reaching a certain level. When it rises, it motivates farmers.” ALSO READ: Why rising domestic coffee consumption matters Sebazungu said that farm gate prices have been on an upward trend for about three years, encouraging farmers to continue improving yields and quality. “The better Rwandan coffee performs on the international market, the better prices farmers can expect in the following seasons,” he said, adding that supportive government policies and access to global markets are critical to sustaining farmer incomes. Although the official minimum price for 2025 was Rwf600 per kilogramme, he said many farmers earned more due to competition among buyers. In some areas, farmers sold cherries at Rwf850, Rwf900, and even Rwf1,000 per kilogramme, depending on location and the number of coffee washing stations seeking supply, he pointed out. “The farm gate price protects farmers from losses. Because of competition, prices often go higher. There is no maximum price—but they should never fall below the minimum set by NAEB,” Sebazungu said. ALSO READ: Rwanda’s coffee export revenues hit record $150m in 2025 Ruth Mukasoni, president of Mayogi Coffee, a farmers’ cooperative in Gicumbi District that also operates a coffee washing station and is engaged in exports, said the new price recognises farmers’ effort and labour. “For farmers, this price is very beneficial. A farmer deserves to earn a return on their work, and NAEB has placed greater value on farmers by setting this price,” she said. However, Mukasoni urged closer coordination between NAEB and local authorities to monitor pricing practices, noting that wide price variations can strain some buyers. “When Rwf600 was announced previously, some buyers went as high as Rwf1,200 per kilogramme,” she said. Even so, she acknowledged that higher prices ultimately mean higher profits for farmers. Factors for the price increase NAEB attributed the 2026 price rise largely to higher international coffee prices, which directly influence what farmers earn at home. Global market gains helped push the average export price up by 19 per cent to $6.2 per kilogramme in 2025, from $5.2 in 2024. Exchange rate movements also played a role. When the 2025 farm gate price was set, the US dollar traded at Rwf1,387; it now stands at Rwf1,448, an increase of 4.4 per cent, strengthening export returns that filter back to farmers. Other factors include expanded international markets for Rwandan coffee and continued improvements in processing and quality. NAEB said about 80 per cent of Rwanda’s coffee is fully washed, while higher-value processing methods—such as natural, anaerobic and honey—currently account for about 5 per cent of exports and attract premium prices. Strong sector performance The country’s coffee sector recorded a historic performance in 2025, exporting 23,860 tonnes of green coffee and earning over $148.6 million (about Rwf216 billion). That compares with 17,142 tonnes worth $89.8 million in 2024—an increase of 39 per cent in volume and 65 per cent in revenues. NAEB Chief Executive Claude Bizimana told The New Times last week that the momentum puts Rwanda on track to meet its NST2 target of exporting 32,000 tonnes of coffee and generating $192 million by 2029—a trajectory that, if sustained, promises continued income gains for farmers at the heart of the value chain.
