Gisakura Tea Factory Faces Capacity Constraints As Labour Shortage Limits Output

Nyamasheke, August 13, 2026 - Gisakura Tea Factory is operating at about 60% of its processing capacity as limited supplies of fresh leaves and a shortage of tea pickers constrain output. The factory can process up to 70 tonnes of fresh tea leaves per day but often receives about 45 tonnes.

Director General Mugabo Kizito said the shortage of pickers is a key reason the factory is not using all three of its processing lines. Gisakura currently employs more than 3,000 people and plans to increase its workforce to 5,000.

The factory is building accommodation for up to 100 tea pickers to improve working conditions and support higher production. It also plans to expand its plantation area from 330 hectares to 670 hectares. About 70% of its processed tea comes from farmers in the Coopthe Mwaga-Gisakura cooperative, while the remaining 30% comes from the factory's own plantations.

District authorities are encouraging more residents, especially young people, to take up tea picking through measures including a daycare centre for workers' children, higher payment per kilogram harvested and transport support. Gisakura, established in 1965, generates more than Rwf5 billion annually for residents of Nyamasheke through tea production.

Tea remains one of Rwanda's key export crops, generating more than $117 million annually. Rwanda aims to raise tea export earnings to $164 million by 2029, compared with $114 million in 2024, underscoring the importance of labour availability and plantation expansion to the sector's growth targets.