Zimbabwe sends first blueberry shipment to China under zero-tariff deal

ZIMBABWE – Zimbabwe has completed its first export shipment of fresh blueberries to China following the implementation of a market-access agreement signed by the two countries in September 2025, marking a major milestone in the nation’s horticultural expansion strategy.

The agreement was signed in Beijing during President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s visit, following the start of phytosanitary negotiations in April 2024. It allows Zimbabwean blueberries to enter the Chinese market under an agreed phytosanitary protocol, following a similar protocol for avocados concluded in 2024.

The agreement coincides with China’s policy of granting zero-tariff treatment to imports from 53 African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations, providing Zimbabwe an opportunity to compete with established global suppliers such as Peru and Chile.

Meanwhile, China’s blueberry imports increased from approximately 665 tons in 2005 to almost 39,000 tons in 2024, offering significant growth potential for Zimbabwean exporters.

Additionally, Zimbabwe began small-scale blueberry production in 2008 and exported its first crop in 2017. Production reached 8,000 tons in 2024 and is projected to increase to 12,000 tons this year.

Current export destinations include the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the Middle East. The Horticultural Development Council said the focus now shifts to “scaling production and testing the best supply routes to this huge new market.”

Furthermore, the blueberry industry forms part of Zimbabwe’s Horticulture Recovery and Growth Plan, which targets a US$2 billion horticulture sector. Horticultural Development Council chief executive Linda Nielsen said at the Zim-China Investment Symposium: “China has opened the door. We must now make sure we have enough product to walk through it.”

The council said export growth will depend on compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary requirements and the associated compliance costs.

However, growers face significant obstacles to expansion. That is, high interest rates and limited access to long-term financing constrain efforts to expand the planted area from 600 hectares to 1,500 hectares.

The expansion is expected to be supported by a proposed US$50 million financing facility from the Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe, as scaling operations are essential to meet international demand.

Success will depend on producers’ ability to maintain strict health standards, secure necessary capital for expansion, and develop efficient supply chains to China.

In the end, this first shipment represents a significant step toward realizing this vision, demonstrating Zimbabwe’s capacity to produce high-quality blueberries that meet stringent international phytosanitary requirements.

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