Martin Kadzere
BUYERS at the ZimTrade-organised Buyers’ Seminar have expressed strong enthusiasm for local products and industrial skills, positioning the country as a critical hub for intra-African trade and high-value global exports.
Held in Bulawayo and Harare as a core feature of the national Export Week, the buyers seminar is an Afreximbank initiative to connect local producers directly with international buyers.
This dovetails with Zimbabwe’s export-led growth policy targets, which are anchored in National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2 2026–2030) and the overarching Vision 2030, which aim to transition the country from raw commodity exportation to a value-added, industrialised upper middle-income economy.
Zimbabwe aims to scale total national exports up to US$12 billion by 2030 under National Development Strategy frameworks.
By bringing together manufacturers, distributors and trade partners, the seminars aim to build resilient trade corridors, accelerate cross-border commerce and secure long-term supply agreements.
Speaking during the buyers forum session, where regional and international delegates outlined their procurement expectations, Mr Michael Chimbetete, representing Eswatini-based distributor Farm Chemicals, delivered a ringing endorsement of Zimbabwe’s agricultural input sector.
Operating across Eswatini, South Africa, Namibia and Mozambique, Farm Chemicals outlined plans to distribute Zimbabwean products directly onto retail shelves across the southern African region.
“We have 63 years’ worth of experience in agro-business distribution and manufacturing. We are saying, can we distribute on your behalf? Can we have your products on our shelves in Eswatini?” said Mr Chimbetete.
“With our network and platform, we have the capacity to move your products into Mozambique, South Africa and Namibia.”
Echoing this momentum, Mr Sifiso Dlamini, of Eswatini Agricultural Suppliers, confirmed plans to source agrochemicals, seeds, fertilisers and farm equipment from Zimbabwean producers to supply commercial farmers, government contracts and independent agro-dealers across Eswatini.
Demonstrating the global appeal of Zimbabwean craftsmanship, Mr Franz-Ludwig Siegfried, founder of Little Zimbabwe (UK and Germany) delivered a passionate presentation during the buyers forums session, declaring Zimbabwean art and craft products to be “the best in the world” and confirming strong, growing market demand across Germany and wider European artistic markets.
Ms Yemurai Mutuma, representing Mahogany Growth, outlined active demand for local horticultural produce in UK retail chains, including Tesco, Asda, Marks & Spencer and Waitrose.
She said their business model focuses on importing citrus, avocados and berries while offering growers technical assistance to navigate export compliance.
“Anything that you can grow, definitely bring it to us, and we will work to get that market for you,” said Ms Mutuma, who is of Zimbabwean origin, emphasising efforts to lower trade barriers.
“Certifications like GlobalGAP are big hurdles, but once you jump them, the growth is absolutely huge.”
Chinese buyers, including Wang Meihong of Meihua Madai (Hainan) International Trade Co and Kinghey Group, also expressed strong interest in importing fresh horticultural produce from Zimbabwe.
Trade momentum is expected to accelerate following China’s implementation of zero-tariff access for Zimbabwean agricultural goods.
Ms Amanda Furamera, head of finance and business development at Golden Engineering and Logistics, serving the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Lualaba and Katanga provinces, identified major export opportunities for Zimbabwean industrial fabricators driven by massive mining infrastructure developments, including the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex.
She highlighted Zimbabwe’s superior steel fabrication capabilities and significantly shorter delivery timetables compared to traditional suppliers in Asia.
“Zimbabwe is known for steel fabrication. Our artisans are world-class,” said Ms Furamera, referring to her home country, as she pointed to strong demand for structural steel, conveyor systems, vibrating screens, transformers and industrial chemicals.
“Coming from Bulawayo or Harare, you’re looking at a much shorter timeframe to reach Kolwezi compared to six weeks from China,” she explained.
Mr Ameya Poyarekar, a representative from Sharda Europe, a division of the 70-year-old multinational Sharda Group in Poland, signalled sourcing three million to 3,5 million units across fashion apparel (men’s, women’s, and children’s wear) and home textiles (towels, rugs, and bedsheets), while offering consulting services for Zimbabwean firms targeting Polish and European markets.
Representing Angola’s national AgroCorridor programme, Ms Saima Shaanika invited Zimbabwean suppliers to participate in agricultural input and processing supply chains along the Lobito Corridor.
The Lobito Corridor is a strategic trans-African logistics route anchored by the Port of Lobito on Angola’s Atlantic coast and extending inland to connect the mining hubs and agricultural belts of Angola, Zambia and the DRC.
Backed by major international development investments, the corridor is primarily designed to facilitate mineral exports, but local initiatives like AgroCorridor are leveraging the rail network to move agricultural inputs, machinery and processed foods across regional markets to empower local smallholder communities.
Ms Shaanika noted that regional trade frameworks such as COMESA, supported by institutional backing from Afreximbank and national trade facilitation partners like ZimTrade, provide the ideal legal and financial foundation for seamless cross-border partnerships.
A representative from MEPIT Engineering in Mozambique, Ms Jasmine Sathiagnana, expressed strong interest in sourcing Zimbabwean construction materials.
Pointing to a critical local skills deficit, especially in telecommunications infrastructure servicing major clients like Vodacom, the representative advocated for structured cross-border labour trade.
Afreximbank assistant manager and core consultant for the bank’s African Buyers Programme, Mr Ebuka Okaja, said the Zimbabwe seminars have grown significantly larger since 2024, projecting that the volume of trade deals struck during this edition would far surpass previous years.
He urged delegates to adopt a strict commercial mindset focused on converting business interactions into finalised purchase orders.
