Online Reporter
Edgar Vhera
Specialist Writer — Agribusiness
FOLLOWING the devastating impact of the El Niño-induced drought in the 2023/2024 summer cropping season, Zimbabwe’s agriculture sector rebounded strongly this year and is expected to lead sectoral economic growth with a projected 2,2 percentage point contribution to the overall 6,6 percent forecast growth for this year.
In 2024, the agriculture sector’s gross domestic product (GDP) declined by 18,1 percent as a result of the impact of the drought.
But the sector rebounded strongly this year following the favourable rainfall during the 2024/2025 summer cropping season, prompting a revision of this year’s projected country GDP growth rate from 6 percent to 6,6 percent.
Presenting the 2026 National Budget recently, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said the domestic economy was projected to achieve 6,6 percent growth this year.
“The domestic economy is now projected to achieve growth of 6,6 percent in 2025, an upward revision of 0,6 percentage points from the initial forecast of 6 percent,” he said.
“The revised projection is primarily on account of strong recovery in the agricultural sector, which is expected to record growth of 24 percent.”
Prof Ncube revealed that, in terms of contribution to GDP growth, the agriculture sector was the biggest contributor in 2025, accounting for 2,2 percentage points of the overall expected growth, representing a 33 percent share of the projected overall GDP growth.
Among the key drivers of this year’s strong agricultural growth are tobacco, wheat, cereal and blueberry value chains, which broke production records.
Tobacco production rose by 53 percent from 232 million kilogrammes in 2024 to 355 million kg this year.
Farmers grossed US$1,2 billion from the sale of the golden leaf on the country’s auction and contract floors, a 48 percent surge from US$794 million last year.
This year’s record tobacco output eclipsed the target set in both the National Development Strategy 1 and Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Plan — 300 million kg by 2025, by 18 percent.
Zimbabwe’s export earnings from tobacco this year are also expected to overtake last year’s US$1,4 billion, with tobacco exports generating US$1,1 billion between January and November from the sale of 201,415 million kilogrammes of the semi-processed crop at an average price of US$5,66 per kg.
Statistics from the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board show that, during the same period last year, the country had exported 208,4 million kilogrammes of the crop, valued at US$1 billion, at an average price of US$5,52 per kg.
Zimbabwe produced a record-breaking wheat harvest of 640 195 tonnes for the 2025 winter season. This is the highest-ever in the country’s history.
The country requires about 360 000 tonnes of wheat per year to ensure an adequate supply for bread and associated products.
The latest harvest marks the third consecutive year of wheat self-sufficiency.
The 2025 winter wheat production represents a 14 percent rise from last year’s 562 091 tonnes.
The 2024/2025 Post-Harvest Survey Report — jointly produced by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development and the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) — revealed that the total cereal production reached 2 242 937 tonnes, comprising 1 819 819 tonnes of maize, 288 344 tonnes of sorghum, 111 399 tonnes of pearl millet and 23 376 tonnes of finger millet.
In horticulture, the blueberry sub-sector is expected to register a 50 percent surge in output, from 8 000 tonnes last year to 12 000 tonnes this year.
Statistics from the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency show that the country earned US$10,403 million from berry exports from January to September this year, compared to US$7,789 million in 2024.
In volume terms, exports jumped by 18 percent from 5 319 tonnes to 6 273 tonnes, while the average price also rose by 13 percent, from US$1,46 to US$1,66 per kilogramme.
Under the livestock section, milk production is also expected to rise by 15 percent from 115 million litres in 2024 to 130 million litres this year.
Most livestock sections are also expected to improve as a result of the availability of feed from good grazing pastures.
Fisheries and aquaculture production is expected to grow due to the Government’s stocking of dams with fingerlings.
