Staff Reporter

Zimbabwe’s agricultural exports to China have increased in the past year, resulting in the general increase in trade volume between the two countries.

A source who spoke to this publication said that China was one of Zimbabwe's major trading partners with the former having imported agricultural products worth US$657 million from the Southern African nation. China is ranked as the third-major trading partner of Zimbabwe after South Africa and Singapore.

"China imported agricultural products from Zimbabwe worth US$657 million in 2022 only, up by 22.64 percent. This underlines China as a big market for Zimbabwean agricultural products such as tobacco, macadamia nuts and cotton.

“Trade between Zimbabwe and China has risen in the past year by 29.2 percent year-on-year to a record high of 2.43 billion dollars in 2022," said the source. According to sources from the trade promotion body, ZimTrade and statistics office, the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT), the exports are expected to grow as Zimbabwe recently signed a citrus protocol with China.

"Zimbabwe's agricultural exports to China are set to grow further after the two countries in 2022 signed a citrus protocol that could expand citrus exports to China, one of the world's biggest consumers of citrus products", said the source.

Bright Matanda, an agricultural economist informed this publication that Zimbabwe’s economy was set for an economic boom under the Second Republic as the country will witness more revenue coming from the agricultural sector.

"Zimbabwe under the leadership of President Mnangagwa recently signed a number of agreements on agriculture with Belarus and Equatorial Guinea. Zimbabwe is set for an economic boom as more foreign currency inflows will come from agricultural exports.

“The agriculture sector will also help Zimbabwe attain Vision 2030 as it is  also important for the country to adopt a digital economy which will accelerate the upgrading of technology in agriculture", said Matanda.