Rwanda Showcases Agricultural Exports at Dubai’s Gulfood Exhibition

Dubai, January 29, 2026 - Rwanda participated in the Gulfood Exhibition, the world’s largest annual trade fair for vegetables, fruits, and flowers, bringing together more than 8,500 exhibitors from 195 countries across 280,000 square meters in Dubai. The country was represented by the National Agricultural Export Promotion Board (NAEB) alongside Rwandan farmers engaged in export-oriented production. NAEB described the event as a strategic opportunity to expand Rwanda’s access to markets in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. While in Dubai, NAEB CEO Claude Bizimana met with Mussab Aboud, CEO of Grandiose, a major UAE food retailer operating 47 stores. The discussions focused on strengthening a long-term partnership to supply Rwandan products such as coffee, flowers, avocados, and fresh produce to the UAE market. NAEB reported that 90% of Rwanda’s avocado exports currently go to the UAE, with overall fruit exports continuing to rise. Trade between Rwanda and the UAE is expanding steadily, with bilateral trade value projected to reach $1.1 billion. Export volumes have grown significantly over the past decade. In 2017, Rwanda exported about 40 tons per month of fruits, vegetables, and flowers; today, that figure exceeds 1,000 tons per month. From July 2023 to February 2024, Rwanda exported agricultural products worth $46 million. The 31st edition of Gulfood was held for the first time across two venues - the Dubai World Trade Centre and the Dubai Exhibition Centre - reflecting the growing scale of the event.