Zimbabwe Sends First Commercial Blueberry Shipment to China

The Horticultural Development Council announced that Zimbabwe dispatched its first commercial shipment of fresh blueberries to China on July 8, 2026. This milestone follows a market access agreement and phytosanitary protocol signed in Beijing in September 2025 during a visit by President Emmerson Mnangagwa. The exports benefit from a Chinese zero-tariff policy for 53 African countries that took effect on May 1, 2026.

Zimbabwe is currently Africa's third-largest blueberry producer and expects to export 12,000 metric tons from approximately 850 hectares in 2026. This initiative is a component of the government's Horticulture Recovery and Growth Plan, which targets a $2 billion industry. The blueberry agreement builds upon previous protocols for avocado and sweet citrus exports signed in 2022 and 2024.

Industry leaders are now focusing on scaling production and optimizing supply routes to meet demand in one of the world's largest consumer markets. While the Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe has proposed a $50 million facility to help expand hectarage, growers continue to cite limited long-term financing and high interest rates as primary constraints to further growth.