Why Gisagara district is pushing for an avocado processing plant

As avocado production continues to expand in Gisagara District, plans are underway to establish a processing plant that would convert the fruit into avocado oil. District officials say land valuation for the proposed investment is ongoing, with the project expected to strengthen value addition and reduce post-harvest losses. ALSO READ: What $140m investment could do in Rwanda’s avocado value chain? In Rwanda, avocados are grown across all regions, with the Southern Province leading production, followed by the Western, Eastern and Northern provinces. Kigali records the lowest production levels, according to the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB). The crop is grown for both local consumption and export, providing income for farmers while generating foreign exchange earnings. Avocado varieties cultivated in Rwanda include Hass, Fuerte, Ettinger, Booth, Choquette, Collinson, Nabal, Puebla, Reed, Simmonds, Pinkerton and Bacon. Hass and Fuerte are the dominant export varieties, with key markets including Dubai, France, the Netherlands and other Middle Eastern destinations. ALSO READ: From simple crop to cash cow: How avocado became profitable Although avocados are grown nationwide, production is concentrated in districts such as Gisagara, Huye, Nyagatare, Nyanza and Rusizi. Jerome Rutaburingoga, Mayor of Gisagara District, said support from the Green Amayaga project has significantly expanded avocado cultivation, attracting investor interest in establishing a processing facility. “The avocado processing industries in Rwanda informed us that Gisagara is the leading district in the country in avocado production, supplying about 30 per cent of the avocados delivered to factories. They are now planning to establish an avocado processing factory in Gisagara District,” he said. The district plans to collaborate with Avocado Oil Industries Ltd (AOI), Rwanda’s leading avocado oil processor. “We are still in the expropriation process,” Rutaburingoga said. In 2024, Avocado Oil Industries Ltd secured support from Ireme Invest to plant 50,000 new avocado trees. The company sources surplus avocados from more than 80,000 smallholder farmers. Jean Paul Birindwa, an avocado farmer from Mamba Sector in Gisagara District, said most avocados are sold on local markets, increasing the risk of post-harvest losses because of limited processing capacity. “I started planting avocados in 2022,” he said. “We have seen the value of our farms increase because of the fruit trees, while soil erosion has also reduced significantly. At the same time, avocado harvests have increased.” Over the past six years, more than 53,895 fruit trees, mainly avocados, have been planted in the district. Every household has been encouraged to plant at least three avocado trees. During the 2024/25 tree-planting season alone, at least 20,350 avocado trees were planted. 16,000 avocado farmers urged to embrace value addition Pacifique Nshimiyimana, Chairperson of the Avocado Society of Rwanda, said more investment is needed across the avocado value chain. “Last year, a survey showed that there are about 16,000 avocado farmers countrywide, most of them smallholders. While farmers are producing for export markets, there is also a need for local factories to add value. The market is currently dominated by small processing units,” he said. He noted that avocados can be processed into products such as cooking oil, body lotion and animal feed. According to Nshimiyimana, avocado production could increase fourfold through stronger collaboration among stakeholders. “Stakeholders such as One Acre Fund, NAEB and the Kwihaza project are helping provide seedlings and capital. The Kwihaza project guarantees farmers access to loans, allowing them to secure up to Rwf2 million from MoneyPhone Africa to invest in avocado production, repayable at a 10 per cent interest rate,” he said. He added that the Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) and the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture (RICA) are helping farmers meet standards required for export markets and agro-processing. National production and investment needs According to NAEB, Rwanda has avocado farmers managing 549,074 trees, of which 73 per cent are Hass and 27 per cent are Fuerte varieties. About 88 per cent of the trees are between zero and six years old, suggesting significant production growth as orchards mature. The government plans to plant 240,000 avocado seedlings on 800 hectares and 60,000 mango seedlings on 200 hectares over four years beginning in 2024. Avocado is among the priority value chains targeted for investment, with an estimated $143.5 million required to unlock its full potential. ALSO READ: Inside Rwanda’s plan to make avocado a major export crop According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), expanding avocado production from 517 hectares to 4,933 hectares will require about $99 million and could yield 71,116 tonnes of fruit. An additional $12.5 million is needed to expand processing capacity so that 50 per cent of production—about 35,558 tonnes—can be processed locally. Rwanda’s avocado value chain has grown rapidly over the past five years, becoming an increasingly important source of income for farmers and exporters. NAEB data shows exports increased from about 840 tonnes worth $840,500 in 2019/20 to more than 4,201 tonnes valued at over $8.6 million in 2024/25. This represents a fivefold increase in export volumes and a tenfold rise in export earnings. Avocados’ share of Rwanda’s horticultural export revenues also rose from 2.93 per cent to more than 10 per cent during the same period. Rwanda recently signed a bilateral agreement allowing avocado exports to China, opening access to another major market. Under the Fifth Strategic Plan for Agriculture Transformation (PSTA 5), Rwanda aims to increase avocado export revenues to more than $12.9 million by 2029.

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Why Gisagara district is pushing for an avocado processing plant