New plant in capital to enhance Rwanda’s silk sector

The silk sector in Rwanda is going to get a boost! The country will witness the launching of a new plant at the Kigali Special Economic Zone in February this year.

The new plant is aimed to purchase cocoons from farmers and making products to be exported. It will first produce silk sheets (materials used in making bed covers and suit jackets), including raw silk (yarn) needed for making clothes. The new initiative is likely to bring advancement in the silk sector in Rwanda.

According to The New Times, the upcoming Rwanda Silk Processing Factory is the result of a partnership between National Agriculture Exports Development Board (NAEB) and HEworks Rwanda Silk Ltd (which is a subsidiary of Korean firm HEworks). According to Seok-Weon Yoon, managing director of HEworks Rwanda Silk Ltd, the factory will contribute to Rwanda's export growth by exporting silk products on the international market.

"We are now in final test runs; we started with the training of staff who will work in the factory. We currently have more than 30 factory workers who on a daily basis will do reeling, we are even expecting to recruit more," Seok-Weon Yoon opined. He further revealed they expect to produce the first silk before the completion of February month.