Kuda Bwititi
Zimpapers Politics Hub
THE 9th China International Import Expo, which started in Shanghai last week and ends today, has provided Zimbabwe with a comprehensive view of the enormous economic opportunities available in the Chinese market, demonstrating why the country must move with greater urgency to diversify its exports, increase production and capture more value from its natural resources and agricultural potential.
The scale of interest generated by Zimbabwean products at the international trade exhibition is a reminder that the relationship between Harare and Beijing has the potential to deliver far greater economic benefits than those currently reflected in conventional trade statistics.
One particularly revealing development was the interest shown by Chinese buyers in Zimbabwean chilli, with local agribusiness STAGRI Brands receiving enquiries for supplies ranging between 5 000 and 20 000 tonnes of the crop.
For a country whose export earnings remain heavily concentrated in minerals and unmanufactured tobacco, such enquiries point to opportunities that could help reshape Zimbabwe’s export profile.
STAGRI Brands chief executive Mr Valentine Tapfumaneyi said buyers had expressed considerable interest in the company’s Tejaswini chilli variety, which is being promoted for the Chinese market.
The company is not merely seeking to export raw agricultural produce. It is developing a value chain that involves aggregating chilli from smallholder farmers and processing it into dried chilli, chilli powder and chilli flakes before exporting to international markets.
Its business philosophy, captured in the motto, “from smallholder to export”, provides an important illustration of how international market opportunities can be connected to rural production, agricultural processing and foreign currency generation.
While the enquiries are not yet confirmed export orders, their scale offers an indication of the potential demand that Zimbabwean producers could tap into if they organise themselves to meet international market requirements.
The significance of this development extends beyond chilli.
It demonstrates that Zimbabwe has opportunities to expand its presence in China through a wider range of agricultural products and manufactured goods, provided local businesses can consistently supply the required quantities and quality.
Beyond traditional exports
Zimbabwe’s current export structure underscores the importance of this diversification drive.
Figures presented by ZimTrade manager for export promotion Mrs Vuyiswa Mafu at the Zimbabwe Business Forum in Shanghai showed that minerals and alloys accounted for 79 percent of the country’s exports in 2025, while unmanufactured tobacco contributed another 14 percent.
This means that the two categories collectively accounted for 93 percent of Zimbabwe’s exports.
The figures reveal a significant concentration in the country’s export earnings, leaving relatively little room for other sectors to contribute meaningfully to international trade.
More importantly, they highlight the value that Zimbabwe could potentially retain by processing its commodities before exporting them.
For instance, unmanufactured tobacco accounted for 14 percent of exports, while manufactured tobacco contributed just one percent.
Processed foods, horticulture, inputs and implements also accounted for only one percent each.
This is the gap that Zimbabwe must now address.
Rather than simply increasing the quantities of raw materials exported, the country needs to build industries capable of transforming agricultural produce and mineral resources into finished or semi-finished products.
The potential is already evident in sectors such as footwear, clothing and textiles, steel manufacturing and agro-processing.
Mrs Mafu highlighted Zimbabwean exports ranging from men’s suits, jackets and trousers to women’s clothing, tracksuits, swimwear and materials used in tobacco packaging.
These products demonstrate that Zimbabwe has some manufacturing capacity that can be expanded to serve international markets.
Similarly, steel products and agricultural oilseeds offer opportunities for businesses seeking to establish stronger positions in regional and global supply chains.
China, with its enormous consumer market and industrial capacity, provides an important destination for this diversification strategy.
A growing economic partnership
The opportunities emerging from the Shanghai Expo are unfolding against the background of rapidly expanding economic relations between Zimbabwe and China.
Bilateral trade reached US$5,01 billion in the first nine months of 2026, representing a 51,6 percent increase compared with the US$3,82 billion recorded during the corresponding period last year.
The latest figure has already surpassed the US$4,4 billion recorded during the whole of 2025. This represents remarkable growth from the average bilateral trade of approximately US$1,9 billion in 2021.
The figures demonstrate that China has become an increasingly important destination and source of trade for Zimbabwe.
However, the next phase of this relationship should be measured not only by the expansion of total trade volumes, but also by the extent to which Zimbabwe increases its share of higher-value exports.
The growth in tobacco exports provides an example of the opportunities available.
Zimbabwe exported tobacco worth US$860 million to China between January and September 2026, representing a 9,3 percent increase from US$786 million during the same period last year.
While this growth is important, the figures also reinforce the need to move further up the tobacco value chain by expanding local processing and manufacturing.
The entry of Zimbabwean blueberries into the Chinese market for the first time in July this year provides another encouraging development.
Blueberries, alongside avocados, citrus fruits, macadamia nuts, tea and other horticultural products, must help broaden the country’s agricultural export base to China.
China’s zero-tariff initiative for African countries, which provides qualifying Zimbabwean products with preferential access to the Chinese market, adds another dimension to these opportunities. The initiative reduces tariff-related barriers and improves the competitiveness of eligible exports.
But preferential market access alone cannot guarantee increased exports.
Zimbabwean producers must have the capacity to meet the required production volumes, quality standards, packaging specifications, certification requirements and logistical arrangements.
This is where the chilli opportunity becomes particularly instructive.
If STAGRI Brands can successfully develop a network of smallholder farmers, establish reliable aggregation systems and expand processing capacity, the benefits could extend well beyond the company to rural communities.
The same model could be replicated in other agricultural value chains.
Investment must drive industrialisation
Recognising these opportunities, Zimbabwe used the Shanghai Business Forum to intensify its engagement with Chinese investors.
Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Midlands Province Owen Ncube invited Chinese companies to explore investment opportunities in agriculture, mining, manufacturing and tourism. He particularly emphasised the need to move away from exporting raw materials towards domestic processing and manufacturing.
“As the world accelerates towards green energy, Zimbabwe stands as a pivotal player with vast reserves of lithium, platinum, gold and nickel,” he said.
The Minister identified opportunities for joint ventures in industrial park development, renewable energy, digital technology and mineral beneficiation.
This is important because Zimbabwe’s industrialisation ambitions require more than the extraction of minerals and the production of agricultural commodities.
They require investment in processing plants, modern machinery, industrial infrastructure, energy generation, technology transfer and skills development.
Chinese companies already have an established presence in several sectors of Zimbabwe’s economy, particularly mining and manufacturing.
There is scope to deepen this cooperation by encouraging investments that establish additional processing capacity within Zimbabwe.
For example, the country’s lithium resources present opportunities beyond mining and exporting the mineral. Greater participation in mineral processing and the manufacturing of intermediate products could increase domestic value retention.
In agriculture, Chinese investment could help establish processing facilities, modern irrigation systems, cold-chain infrastructure, packaging plants and export logistics networks.
Such investments would help address some of the structural constraints preventing local producers from taking full advantage of international markets.
The Government’s responsibility is to ensure that the country’s investment incentives, Special Economic Zones and investor protection frameworks translate into actual productive projects.
Turning diplomatic relations into commercial gains
One of the central messages emerging from the Shanghai Expo is that Zimbabwe’s longstanding diplomatic relationship with China must increasingly translate into tangible commercial opportunities for businesses and ordinary citizens.
ZimTrade chief executive Mr Allan Majuru said Zimbabwe’s participation at the exhibition was intended to diversify the country’s export basket beyond traditional commodities and introduce more local products into Chinese supply chains.
The organisation was also seeking export orders, distribution agreements and strategic partnerships with Chinese importers, retailers and investors.
This approach recognises that market access is only the beginning of the export development process.
Zimbabwean companies need reliable distribution partners, market intelligence, investment capital and an understanding of Chinese consumer preferences.
The Government and its trade promotion institutions therefore have an important role to play in connecting local producers with prospective buyers and ensuring that businesses can navigate the regulatory and commercial requirements of the Chinese market.
There is also a need to strengthen coordination between Government, exporters, financial institutions and farmers to ensure that production responds to identified market opportunities.
The 5 000 to 20 000 tonnes of chilli enquiries, for example, could become a catalyst for organised production involving smallholder farmers, commercial growers, processors and exporters.
However, this requires careful planning to avoid production shortfalls, inconsistent quality and supply disruptions.
The same applies to other horticultural crops where expanding exports will depend on reliable irrigation, cold storage, transport infrastructure and compliance with international phytosanitary standards.
Ultimately, Zimbabwe must develop the capacity to supply the Chinese market consistently rather than relying on occasional export breakthroughs.
From opportunities to measurable gains
The Shanghai Expo has demonstrated that Zimbabwe has more to offer China than its traditional mineral and tobacco exports.
The interest in chilli, the entry of blueberries, citrus and avocadoes into the Chinese market all point to a broader economic relationship waiting to be developed.
With bilateral trade already exceeding US$5 billion in the first nine months of 2026, the foundations for deeper economic cooperation are increasingly evident.
The challenge is to ensure that this growth produces structural changes in Zimbabwe’s economy.
This means increasing the contribution of manufactured goods, processed agricultural products and other value-added exports, while ensuring that smallholder farmers and local businesses participate meaningfully in international supply chains.
For Zimbabwe, the Chinese market presents an opportunity to convert agricultural potential into export earnings, mineral wealth into industrial capacity and diplomatic goodwill into investment and employment.
The real measure of success will not simply be how much Zimbabwe trades with China, but how much of the value generated through that trade is retained within the domestic economy.
The Shanghai Expo has provided a glimpse of what is possible.
The task now is to turn that promise into production, investment, exports and jobs, ensuring that Zimbabwe does not merely participate in the opportunities presented by the Chinese market, but is adequately equipped to capture them.
