By Johnson Siamachira
Harare, (New Ziana) – On Zimbabwe’s eastern highlands, blueberries, macadamia nuts, citrus and other high-value horticultural crops are reshaping the country’s agricultural export ambitions.
The growth of these commodities, in output terms, comes as Zimbabwe prepares to lead a regional trading bloc whose markets could offer farmers and agribusinesses new opportunities beyond traditional export destinations.
Zimbabwe’s horticultural exports reached a reported US$181.7 million in 2025, surpassing the previous peak of US$140 million recorded in 1999. Blueberries, avocados, citrus and sugar snap peas have helped drive the sector’s recovery.
But the next challenge is not simply to grow more produce. It is to connect that production to reliable buyers, efficient transport and competitive regional value chains.
Zimbabwe’s assumption of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) chairmanship in October 2026 provides a platform to pursue that goal. The country will host the 25th COMESA Heads of State and Government Summit in Harare from October 19 to 22, taking over the rotating chairmanship from Kenya.
The opportunity is substantial: COMESA brings together 21 African countries and more than 600 million people. Its free trade area seeks to reduce barriers to trade and create a larger market for goods and services. For Zimbabwean farmers, processors and exporters, this could mean access to more customers across the region.
A market larger than the farm gate
Zimbabwe’s agricultural export basket already includes tobacco, maize, sugar, cotton, tea, coffee and horticultural products. The COMESA market offers opportunities to expand these commodities while developing processed foods and other value-added products.
The latest trade figures highlight both the opportunity and the challenge. Zimbabwe exported goods worth US$222 million to COMESA in 2025, up from US$200.9 million in 2024. Yet intra-COMESA trade stood at about US$13 billion, leaving Zimbabwe with considerable room to increase its regional market share.
Zambia remains Zimbabwe’s largest COMESA export destination, accounting for US$131.4 million of exports in 2025. Malawi, Kenya, Egypt and the Democratic Republic of Congo also offer opportunities for market diversification.
For horticultural producers, regional markets could complement established European destinations. Fresh fruit and vegetables, however, require more than demand. Exporters need consistent quality, food safety certification, suitable packaging and dependable delivery.
The regional market therefore presents a commercial opportunity, not an automatic guarantee of sales.
From blueberries to value-added exports
Zimbabwe’s horticultural recovery has attracted investment in blueberries, avocados and other high-value crops. The country’s export potential also extends to citrus, grapes, berries, macadamia nuts and sugar snap peas.
These commodities can create opportunities beyond primary production. Farmers can supply packhouses, processors and exporters, while manufacturers can produce packaging, cold-storage equipment and other services needed by the horticultural industry.
The same principle applies to traditional agricultural commodities. Zimbabwe can increase the value of maize, sugar, tobacco and other crops through processing, packaging and branding for regional consumers.
Professor Gift Mugano, executive director of African Economic Development Strategies, said Zimbabwe needed to position local businesses to benefit from the wider COMESA market.
He identified food and beverages, among other sectors, as areas with potential for regional expansion, while stressing the importance of anchor companies that can aggregate products from small and medium enterprises.
For smallholder farmers, such arrangements could help address one of the biggest barriers to export participation: the difficulty of producing and delivering sufficient volumes consistently.
The chairmanship and the business opportunity
The chairmanship of COMESA will put Zimbabwe at the centre of regional discussions on trade, investment and industrialisation. The COMESA Business Forum, scheduled for October 19–21, will bring together business leaders, investors and policymakers.
For Zimbabwean agribusinesses, the forum could provide opportunities to meet regional buyers, identify distributors and explore investment partnerships.
The country can also use its leadership role to advocate for the removal of non-tariff barriers, improved transport corridors and more efficient trade procedures. These measures matter particularly for perishable horticultural products, whose value can decline rapidly when transport delays or inadequate cold-chain facilities interrupt deliveries.
COMESA’s Common Agro-Industrial Park initiative also points to opportunities for regional value addition. By encouraging joint agro-processing ventures, such initiatives could help countries move beyond exporting raw commodities towards producing higher-value goods.
A brief history of regional integration
COMESA grew out of the Preferential Trade Area for Eastern and Southern Africa, established in 1981. Member states replaced that arrangement with COMESA in December 1994, seeking to create a larger economic and trading unit capable of overcoming barriers faced by individual countries.
The bloc launched its free trade area on October 31, 2000, when nine member states, including Zimbabwe, eliminated tariffs on qualifying COMESA-originating products. Burundi and Rwanda later joined the free trade area in 2004.
Today, COMESA’s agenda extends beyond tariff reduction to include trade facilitation, infrastructure, industrialisation and regional value chains.
Turning regional leadership into farm incomes
Zimbabwe’s chairmanship of COMESA offers the country an opportunity to translate political influence into commercial gains. But the benefits will depend on whether local producers can meet regional demand competitively.
ZimTrade, the country’s trade promotions agency, has identified production capacity, trade infrastructure, market intelligence and policy alignment as essential to increasing Zimbabwe’s participation in COMESA trade.
“For horticulture, that means improving access to finance, strengthening certification systems, developing cold-chain logistics and helping smaller producers meet export standards,” said ZimTrade chief executive officer, Allan Majuru.
“It also means building relationships between farmers and anchor companies that can aggregate produce, process it and connect it to buyers,” he said.
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