Zimbabwe’s trade promotion body, ZimTrade, is seeking to expand the country’s agricultural exports to China, focusing on avocados and macadamia nuts. Ahead of this effort, a delegation of Chinese buyers is set to visit Zimbabwe from April 8-10, 2025, as part of the Zimbabwe-China Avocado and Macadamia Inward Buyer Mission in Chipinge.
China, the world’s second-largest economy, is a key trading partner for Zimbabwe, with trade between the two nations reaching $3 billion in the first nine months of 2024—a 25.6 percent increase from the previous year. The upcoming trade mission is expected to strengthen bilateral relations and provide local farmers with access to the growing Chinese market, where demand for high-quality agricultural products continues to rise.
ZimTrade has organized a series of events for the visiting Chinese buyers, including a seminar, business-to-business networking sessions, and field visits to farms and production facilities. These engagements aim to showcase Zimbabwe’s farming capacity while helping local producers understand the Chinese market’s requirements and export dynamics.
The mission follows the signing of the “Protocol for Phytosanitary Requirements for Export of Zimbabwean Fresh Avocado to China” at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit in September 2024. This agreement removes trade barriers and creates new opportunities for Zimbabwean farmers to compete with leading global avocado exporters.
ZimTrade CEO Allan Majuru emphasized the importance of this initiative in expanding Zimbabwe’s agricultural footprint in China. “This mission will open doors for Zimbabwean producers to access a fast-growing market with increasing demand for fresh, high-quality produce,” he said. “We expect meaningful business partnerships to emerge from these engagements, benefiting both farmers and the broader economy.”
China’s avocado imports grew from $112.1 million in 2022 to $151.2 million in 2023, highlighting the fruit’s growing popularity. With its favorable climate and expanding production, Zimbabwe is well-positioned to tap into this lucrative market.
Beyond trade expansion, the mission aims to enhance Zimbabwean exporters’ competitiveness by facilitating knowledge exchange on Chinese market trends, logistics, and quality standards.