The Government of Rwanda has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Cotti Coffee, a rapidly growing Chinese coffee value chain investor, to boost Rwanda’s coffee production and export market in China.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) announced the MoU signing on Friday, June 6.
Agriculture minister Mark Cyubahiro Bagabe signed the MoU on behalf of the government.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the ministry noted that the MoU includes establishing a strategic partnership to boost Rwanda’s coffee production and export market in China.
Last November, Rwanda’ organic honey and new specialty coffee made their debut on the Chinese market at the seventh China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, opening doors for Rwandan companies to tap into one of the world’s largest consumer markets.
China is a important coffee market, both for production and consumption.
While China’s own coffee production is relatively small, it’s a major importer and exporter, with its coffee export volume estimated to be around 845,000 60-kilogram bags in the 2024/25 crop year. China imported $165.1 million worth of coffee products from Africa in 2023, according to statistics from the General Administration of Customs of China.
The country’s coffee industry is also witnessing rapid growth, with Yunnan Province leading in production and exports. Reports indicate that Yunnan Province in southwest China exported 32,500 tonnes of coffee in 2024, marking a year-on-year increase of 358 percent.
