Optimism surrounds Rwanda's booming tea industry
Latest numbers offer one more reason for widespread enthusiasm about Rwanda's tea industry, which currently exports over 23,000 tons of tea and brings in $66 million in earnings annually. Following a wave of privatizations over the last decade, there are currently 23,000 hectares of land under cultivation and 13 operational tea factories. The industry plans to build on this success, with further 5 factories and 18,000 hectares of plantations to be added by 2018. This is expected to increase earnings from tea exports to $147 million. Recently, Rwanda's tea industry has been under pressure due to price fluctuations and high supply levels, but local experts claim that its status as a niche beverage in countries such as Pakistan, Egypt, Russia and the UK will sustain demand.