Online Reporter
Edgar Vhera
Agriculture Specialist Writer
THE harvesting of Valencia and Navel oranges is in full swing across the country as export earnings from the citrus sector grew 27 percent from US$12 million in 2023 to US$15 million last year.
The Horticultural Development Council (HDC) revealed that the reaping of oranges in the southern region of the country had peaked.
“It is an orange harvesting season in Beitbridge. At Nottingham Estate, the team is packing for both export and local market,” said HDC.
Orange harvesting began in June with international juice prices subdued.
The HDC April 2025 update revealed that in terms of logistics the Beira port remained a challenge with higher charges and logistical issues leaving the country with no option but to use the Durban port.
As regards phytosanitary issues, the new systems for European Union (EU) market protocols and audits are in place to ensure compliance with international standards, added the HDC.
Apart from oranges, a larger mandarin crop is expected as orchards mature, with markets anticipated to include overseas, regional and local buyers.
The update indicate that lemon harvesting, which began in the northern part of the country in March, with initial quality issues (petica) noted, ended in May.
“These are expected to improve as the season progresses. Market prices are fair and currently stronger than in previous years, but returns especially for smaller fruit and category two grades remain marginal due to high freight costs relative to market prices,” said HDC.
The report noted a reduction in lemon hectares, with some orchards being topworked to other varieties and others abandoned altogether.
“Despite this, yields and pack outs have improved significantly compared to 2024, particularly in the northern regions where orchards are now reaching year four. Erratic power supplies continue to impact the sector,” added the HDC.
Meanwhile, statistics from the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStats) show that there was a 27 percent increase in the value of citrus product exports from US$11 836 240 in 2023 to US$15 049 513 last year.
In volume terms there was a three percent decline in exports from 65 369 379 to 63 465 002 kilogrammes.
Citrus product grouping has fresh or dried oranges, mandarins, clementines, grapefruit including pomelos, lemons and limes, frozen and unfrozen orange juice, unfermented grapefruit juices and other single fruit juices.
The country’s citrus exports have grown 92 percent under the second republic from US$7 824 956 in 2017 to US$15 049 513 last year.
Zimbabwe and China signed a citrus trade protocol that was initiated in 2015 for the export of oranges for smallholder growers under the Shashi irrigation scheme.
The fresh citrus products to be exported to China from Zimbabwe include sweet orange (Citrus sinensis), mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata), grapefruit (Citrus paradisi), lemon (Citrus limon and aurantifolia) and sour orange (Citrus aurantium). The General Administration of Customs of China also released a list of registered Zimbabwean orchards and packhouses for fresh citrus exports to China.
While, the opening of the Chinese market gave the country more options to use the short Mozambican port of Beira, current citrus exports go via the port of Durban as cold sterilisation standards at the former port are not in conformity to the Zimbabwe-China citrus trade protocol.
The Plant Quarantine Services Institute (PQSI) issued phytosanitary certificates for export of 46 containers of oranges to China with each container averaging 24 tonnes in the debut year (2023) and all these were via the Port of Durban.
Last year only three containers (76 127kg net) of oranges were exported to China again all went via the Durban port.
Online Reporter