Zimbabwe is moving quickly to secure a bigger slice of the Chinese market, as government ramps up negotiations to unlock a new zero-tariff export window for local agricultural products.
By Advent Shoko
HARARE – Government is intensifying high-level talks with China to fast-track export protocols ahead of a major policy shift that will allow duty-free access for goods from 53 African countries, including Zimbabwe.
Speaking during a post-Cabinet briefing, Lands, Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Anxious Masuka said technical teams have been instructed to urgently conclude negotiations with Chinese counterparts before the May 1 rollout. Masuka said:
“I have asked the technical teams to expedite these negotiations… so that we can then have a market for our increasing production and productivity.”
At the heart of the process are strict sanitary and phytosanitary requirements, a two-stage system that first requires product-specific compliance before exporters can access the zero-tariff regime. Zimbabwe has already signed protocols covering citrus, avocados and blueberries, but officials are now pushing to widen the basket to include livestock products.
The stakes are high. In 2025, agricultural exports to China reached US$804 million, accounting for nearly a third of Zimbabwe’s total exports to the Asian giant. Tobacco and macadamia nuts remain dominant, but authorities see horticulture as the next growth frontier.
Masuka said the policy could be transformative at grassroots level, particularly for smallholder farmers under rural development programmes. He said:
“You can imagine what is going to happen in villages and schools… where we’re looking at value addition for predominantly horticultural products.”
Beyond economics, the push reflects a broader governance strategy, aligning production with export-ready standards while leveraging diplomatic ties to secure market access.
If successful, the zero-tariff window could mark a turning point, shifting Zimbabwe from raw commodity exports toward a more diversified, value-driven agricultural economy, one that connects rural producers directly to global demand.
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