Garden Fresh, a Rwandan company specialising in export of fresh produce, has opened Rwanda’s first privately owned packhouse. The facility, built with support from the HortInvest and IDH project, will not reduce post-harvest losses and increase farmer income and generate new employment opportunities.
Sylvie Nirere, the IDH country manager in Rwanda: “Building the capacity of local businesses to engage in export markets is needed to build the local economy. Having a packhouse ensures that Garden Fresh is able to provide quality produce and quantity that meet its clients’ requirements. We’re very excited to see this day arrive.”
Packhouses provide a critical link between farm and market aggregating produce from numerous farms and preparing it for delivery according to strict quality standards. The 600 square metre packhouse, located in the Prime Economic Zone in Masoro, has the capacity of 25-30 metric tons of fresh produce, and according to the company, will provide employment to some 300 Rwandan women and youths to deliver high quality produce.
Source: newtimes.co.rw