KIGALI, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda has inked a new avocado export protocol with China, further broadening the range of Rwandan products available to Chinese consumers.

According to the Rwandan Embassy in China, the Protocol on Inspection, Quarantine, and Sanitary Requirements for the Export of Fresh Avocados from Rwanda to China was signed on Wednesday.

"This agreement will allow high-quality Rwandan avocados to enter the Chinese market, expanding the range of Rwandan agricultural products exported to China, a market of 1.4 billion consumers," the embassy wrote on social media platform X.

"The protocol for exporting Rwanda's avocados to China will significantly enhance our exports. We are optimistic about the potential for growth and look forward to working with Chinese partners," Angel Uwantege, founder and proprietor of Bahage Foods Ltd, a Rwandan farming and agricultural export company, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

She noted that the Rwanda-China cooperation holds tremendous potential for growth. "We anticipate more trade agreements, investments, and cultural exchanges," she said, adding that her company is eager to explore platforms like the China International Import Expo to showcase Rwandan products, especially avocados, to the Chinese market.

"We have confidence in the Chinese market, and the zero-tariff policy has indeed made it easier for us to export Rwandan products to China. It reduces costs and makes our products more competitive," she added.

Rwanda's move to finalize a protocol allowing avocado exports to China is a key development for the growing horticulture sector, commented The New Times, Rwanda's national English-language newspaper.

China could quickly become one of the biggest destinations for Rwandan avocados, a vital shift for an export sector that has so far relied heavily on Dubai and parts of Europe, The New Times quoted Robert Rukundo, chairperson of the Horticulture Exporters Association of Rwanda, as saying.

Speaking to Xinhua, Rwandan economic analyst Teddy Kaberuka hailed the avocado export protocol as a significant step in deepening bilateral trade relations.

Kaberuka emphasized that the deal will diversify Rwanda's export portfolio beyond traditional commodities such as coffee and tea. On the broader implications for Africa-China cooperation, he described the protocol as a model for value-added agricultural trade.

"This protocol for exporting avocados to China will be a strategic gateway that positions Rwanda's avocados in one of the world's most dynamic consumer markets," he said.

Data from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs showed that in 2024, bilateral trade between China and Rwanda reached 669 million U.S. dollars, marking a 21.4-percent year-on-year increase. 

(Source: Xinhua)