Report by Xinhua

The 2026 Zimbabwe-China Horticulture Buyers Engagement kicked off on Wednesday, with China's zero-tariff policy highlighted as an opportunity to promote bilateral agricultural cooperation.

The three-day event, held in Zimbabwe's eastern province of Manicaland, features business-to-business meetings and farm visits for Chinese buyers to engage directly with local producers, with a focus on updating trade protocols and exploring financing models to accelerate Zimbabwe's horticulture export growth.

Zimbabwe's agricultural exports to China amounted to 804 million U.S. dollars in 2025, accounting for 31 percent of its total exports to China, a figure that underscores the robust growth potential of bilateral agricultural trade, said Huang Minghai, economic and commercial counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe, while addressing the event.

According to ZimTrade, the national trade development and promotion organization, China's 2025 imports of key horticultural products were 256 million dollars for pecan nuts, 159 million for macadamia nuts, 145 million for avocados, and 9.6 million for blueberries.

Huang said that China's grant of zero-tariff treatment to 53 African nations, including Zimbabwe, effective May 1, is expected to significantly boost agricultural exports.

The policy, coupled with growing market demand, is opening a new chapter for China-Zimbabwe agricultural cooperation, Huang said, urging all parties to seize this opportunity by linking China's vast market with Zimbabwe's rich agricultural potential.

The policy is expected to expand access to the Chinese market, giving Zimbabwean products stronger price competitiveness and helping the country increase its share in that market. It also aims to promote value addition and industrial upgrading by encouraging investment in agro-processing, moving Zimbabwe up the value chain from raw products to processed, high-value goods, while fostering technology transfer and skills development.

Misheck Mugadza, minister of state for provincial affairs and devolution for Manicaland, hailed the engagement as an important milestone in the expanding trade ties between the two nations, noting that over the years, Zimbabwe and China have deepened cooperation, signing key trade protocols for macadamias, citrus, avocados and blueberries.

To further diversify the export basket, Zimbabwe is eyeing more high-value products such as pecans, sesame, and chilies for future trade protocols, with technical processes underway to facilitate their entry into the Chinese market.

Looking ahead, Huang said the bilateral cooperation aims to further enhance agricultural competitiveness and deliver tangible benefits to farmers and communities by improving product standards, investing in logistics and sharing expertise.