Online Reporter
Sikhulekelani Moyo
Zimpapers Business Hub
ZIMBABWE’S trade surplus widened by 64,5 percent to US$526,5 million in August 2026, from US$320 million in July, driven by a surge in exports while imports remained almost flat, latest figures from the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) show.
This follows a 14,2 percent rise in exports to US$1,68 billion in August from US$1,47 billion the previous month.
Cumulative imports rose 0,2 percent to US$1 152,4 million in August, up from US$1 149,8 million the prior month.
A trade surplus is critically important to Zimbabwe because it generates the vital net foreign currency inflows, which help stabilise the local currency (ZiG) and ease chronic liquidity shortages.
ZimStat said among the top 10 products exported in August, semi-manufactured gold accounted for 44 percent of total export value, followed by other mineral substances at 19,5 percent and other ores and concentrates at 12,0 percent.
Other key exports were nickel mattes (8 percent), tobacco (3,5 percent), other sulphates (2,9 percent), ferro-chromium (1,7 percent), iron and steel products (1,4 percent), coke and semi-coke of coal (1,1 percent) and unsorted diamonds (0,6 percent).
“The country’s major export destinations in August were the United Arab Emirates (US$749,6 million), China (US$540,3 million) and South Africa (US$218,3 million),” said the statistics agency.
“The three countries accounted for about 90 percent of total export value.”
ZimStat said in the SADC region, major exports were nickel mattes (48,2 percent), iron/steel products (9,5 percent), coke and semi-coke of coal (6,6 percent) and other ores (5,4 percent).
“Total SADC export value was US$278,4 million,” ZimStat said.
In COMESA, exports included partly or wholly stemmed/stripped tobacco (21,4 percent), iron/steel products (14,6 percent), coke and semi-coke (14,4 percent) and cigarette tobacco (6,8 percent), with a total of US$25,9 million.
Zimbabwe’s shipments to the EU were made up of tobacco (66,3 percent), chromium ores (17,2 percent), ferro-chromium (11,3 percent) and granite (1,4 percent), representing 96 percent of exports to the European trading bloc valued at US$19,1 million.”
Within the African Continental Free Trade Area, Zimbabwe traded nickel mattes (46,8 percent), iron/steel (9,2 percent), nickel ores (8,4 percent) and tobacco (6,6 percent), 72 percent of US$286,7 million.
Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products (22,2 percent), machinery and mechanical appliances (15,5 percent), vehicles (6,8 percent) and electrical machinery (4,9 percent) were among Zimbabwe’s top imports.
