KIGALI
Rwanda’s specialty coffee sector has set another record after a top lot sold for $452 per kilogram at the Best of Rwanda 2026 online auction, the National Agricultural Export Development Board said.
The price was the highest recorded at the auction and was 66 times higher than the current average international market price for Rwanda coffee exports, NAEB said Thursday.
The auction featured 31 coffee lots selected from 320 entries submitted from across the country. The lots were chosen after three rounds of sensory evaluation by national and international judges.
Evariste Karangwa, owner of K-Organics Ltd., said the achievement reflected the growing recognition of Rwandan coffee and would help producers reinvest in quality farming.
“This achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication we put into producing quality coffee,” Karangwa said. “This recognition will allow me to invest in quality coffee farming activities, ensuring even higher quality coffee in the future and improving my community’s livelihood through coffee.”
The auction attracted international buyers from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, China, the United States, South Korea, Japan, Latvia, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Claude Bizimana, NAEB’s chief executive officer, said the record price showed the value of collaboration across Rwanda’s coffee sector.
“This achievement demonstrates the potential of collaboration among producers, exporters, partners and other stakeholders in advancing quality, traceability and sustainability,” Bizimana said. “The $452-per-kilogram price reflects our continued efforts to strengthen quality and traceability throughout Rwanda’s coffee value chain, from farm to international market.”
The Best of Rwanda National Specialty Coffee Competition is an annual event organized by NAEB to promote high-quality coffee produced by smallholder farmers and expand access to international markets.
NAEB said the competition and auction reinforce Rwanda’s position as a leading producer of specialty coffee and support efforts to increase farmers’ earnings and foreign exchange revenue.
