Rwanda’s Honey Exporters Eye Global Markets but Face Supply Shortages

Kigali, The Gulf Observer: Rwanda’s honey export sector is struggling to keep pace with rising international demand, with exporters calling for greater investment and land allocation to boost production.

Grace Mbabazi, Managing Director of M&M Sozo Ltd, which exports between 90 and 120 tonnes of honey annually, said her company cannot meet the requests from international buyers in China, Dubai, and Europe.

“China alone needs a container — between 28 and 30 tonnes — every month. That’s a demand I can’t meet right now,” Mbabazi said, noting that international prices range between $10 and $12 per kilogram.

To close the supply gap, Mbabazi plans to invest around Rwf5 billion in modern beekeeping and advanced processing equipment, seeking loans to accelerate growth. She emphasized that scaling up production would also benefit local communities by generating income.

At a recent agricultural export development meeting in Kigali, Solange Murekezi, Chairperson of the Beekeeping Value Chain, acknowledged government efforts in quality control and market access but said the real potential of Rwanda’s honey sector remains underutilized due to supply constraints.

She attributed the challenge to land use policies, pointing out that most mature forests — ideal for monofloral honey production — are allocated to the private sector for other purposes.

“We don’t have any designated area that we can use to produce at least 500 tonnes of monofloral honey,” Murekezi said, adding that current land identified by the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Board (RAB) is insufficient for consistent export volumes.

Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Mark Cyubahiro Bagabe, acknowledged the concerns, calling beekeeping highly compatible with Rwanda’s forests.

“The beauty with forests is that there’s no spraying, so there’s no issue of contamination with pesticides. I think the proposition from beekeepers is worth listening to and worth investigating,” Bagabe said, pledging to explore solutions to ensure sustainable honey production.

With Rwanda’s export markets secured but production lagging, stakeholders stress the urgent need for investment and policy adjustments to unlock the sector’s potential.