Zimbabwe exports first-ever blueberries to China

Zimbabwe exports first commercial shipment of blueberries to China

Zimbabwe has successfully exported its first-ever commercial shipment of blueberries to China, marking a major milestone for the country's horticulture sector and opening access to one of the world's fastest-growing fruit markets. The breakthrough follows the signing of a phytosanitary protocol between Zimbabwe and China in September 2025, which granted Zimbabwean growers official market access after negotiations that began in April 2024.

The Horticultural Development Council (HDC) described the inaugural shipment as a landmark achievement for the country's fruit export industry.

"We have achieved the first shipment. The focus now shifts to scaling production and testing the best supply routes to this huge new market," the council said in a statement marking the milestone.

The export agreement was signed in Beijing during President Emmerson Mnangagwa's State visit to China, allowing Zimbabwean blueberries to enter the Chinese market after both countries concluded negotiations on plant health and food safety requirements.

The deal builds on an earlier protocol that opened the Chinese market to Zimbabwean avocados in 2024, further strengthening agricultural trade between the two countries. Adding to the commercial opportunity is China's decision to grant zero-tariff treatment on all tariff lines for the 53 African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations, meaning Zimbabwean blueberries now enter the Chinese market duty-free.

China has become one of the world's largest importers of blueberries as consumer demand for premium fresh fruit continues to rise. Industry figures show Chinese blueberry imports increased from approximately 665 tonnes in 2005 to nearly 39,000 tonnes in 2024, with Peru and Chile currently dominating supplies. The new market presents Zimbabwean growers with an opportunity to diversify exports beyond their traditional destinations in the European Union, the United Kingdom and the Middle East.

Zimbabwe's blueberry industry has expanded rapidly over the past decade. Commercial cultivation began on a small scale in 2008, while the country's first exports were recorded in 2017. Production reached an estimated 8,000 tonnes in 2024 and is projected to increase to 12,000 tonnes in 2026 as new orchards come into production.

Speaking at the Zimbabwe-China Investment Symposium last week, Horticultural Development Council chief executive Linda Nielsen said the new export opportunity now requires increased production.

"China has opened the door. We must now make sure we have enough product to walk through it."

She said maintaining access to the lucrative Chinese market would depend on growers consistently meeting strict sanitary and phytosanitary standards governing fresh produce imports.

The council has also acknowledged that compliance costs, logistics and certification requirements will influence the pace of exports in the initial stages. Growers say expansion is also being constrained by high borrowing costs and limited access to long-term financing. The industry plans to increase blueberry production from approximately 600 hectares currently under cultivation to 1,500 hectares, supported by a proposed US$50 million financing facility from the Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ).

The blueberry industry forms part of the Government's Horticulture Recovery and Growth Plan, which aims to transform Zimbabwe into a regional horticultural powerhouse and grow the sector into a US$2 billion industry through increased exports, value addition and investment. The successful entry into the Chinese market is expected to strengthen Zimbabwe's agricultural export earnings while creating new opportunities for growers seeking to expand production for international markets.

Zimbabwe blueberries exports to China