<p></p><p>Rwandan farmers have a new money making crop, macadamia, which has high potential of improving their lives. The crop, maturing after five years, is raw material for high end nuts, butter and ice cream. <br></p> <p>Farm Gate East Africa (EPZ) Limited, a Kenyan company specialising in Macadamia Nuts and Cashew Nuts processing and packaging said it will invest $ 15 million in macadamia farming in Rwanda for the next ten years.</p> <p>The investment includes supporting macadamia farmers to grow enough for export to USA, South Africa, Kenya and other potential markets. <br></p> <p>The firm is also planning to build a processing plant in Rwanda, which will allow it to export finished products.</p> <p>“It is a good opportunity for our farmers; the plant requires a few input and procures huge returns,” Ambassador George Bill Kayonga, the Chief Executive Officer of National Agriculture Export Board (NAEB) has told KT Press. <br></p> <p>Macadamia growers plant seeds and wait for four to five years before harvesting. Every hectare accommodates 200 trees which can be mixed with other crops.</p> <p>At harvest, they sell nuts at Rwf900 per kilogram. One macadamia tree yields up to 50 kilogram per season-once every year. <br></p> <p>“We realized Rwanda has a favorable climate for the plant,” says Mahomed Jassat, CEO for EPZ adding, “An investment climate is also favorable in Rwanda than in many African countries.”</p> <p>Besides the two factors however, Farm Gate is expecting a huge profit in the next ten years. Jassat said, they hope to reap over $100 million, from their $15 million capital. <br></p> <p>The world is relying on 45% of macadamia demand, which, according to Gatarayiha Norse Elizé, a macadamia grower, is an unlimited opportunity for Rwandan farmers.</p> <p>Currently, Rwanda has about 120,000 trees on 600 hectares of macadamia whose products are exported row. <br></p> <p>The country has started a One Million Macadamia Campaign, which intends to plant one million trees (5000 hectares) in one year, to satisfy Farm Gate demand.</p> <p>The campaign was launched today in Rwabicuma sector, Nyanza district in Southern Rwanda, where 1000 trees were planted on five hectares. <br></p> <p>Rwabicuma, with potential 500 hectares for macadamia, has a chance to host a processing plant, according to Francois Muhinzi, in charge of crops in NAEB. Rwanda encourages farmers across the country to consolidate their land to grow macadamia intensively. <br></p> <p>Trees will be distributed free of charge by government through districts to registered cooperatives. An individual can only be given trees if they grow at least one hectare of macadamia.<br></p><p></p>