Zimbabwe will begin exporting blueberries to China following the signing of a protocol on phytosanitary standards, the country’s Horticultural Development Council announced on Thursday.
The agreement was finalized during President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s visit to China this week, where he met President Xi Jinping during events marking the 80th anniversary of Japan’s defeat at the end of World War Two.
According to Reuters, the HDC said the breakthrough “opens the door for local growers to expand into one of the world’s fastest-growing blueberry markets.”
The extent of exports will be determined by the protocol’s sanitary and phytosanitary requirements, as well as the costs associated with compliance, it added.
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Zimbabwe’s blueberry sector has become one of the fastest-growing globally. Production is expected to rise to 12,000 metric tons in 2025, up from 8,000 metric tons in 2024.
With global demand climbing in recent years thanks to blueberries’ perceived health benefits, Zimbabwe aims to leverage its favorable climatic conditions, which allow high yields from open-field planting and early access to export markets.
Despite the opportunity, the HDC highlighted constraints facing the industry, including high interest rates, limited access to long-term financing, and regulations requiring exporters to retain only 75% of their earnings in U.S. dollars while converting the remaining 25% into local currency.
Growers are also lobbying for income tax holidays, the removal of import duties on key inputs, and reductions in land levies to help strengthen the young industry.
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Image Credit: Modern Agriculture Magazine
