Online Reporter
Sikhulekelani Moyo
Zimbabwe Business Hub
STAKEHOLDERS have expressed the need to enhance programmes that promote import substitution, saying that whenever the country imports more than it exports, the country loses jobs and wealth.
The call comes after the national statistics agency, ZimStats, released the trade statistics for September 2025, where exports declined slightly by 3,1 percent to US$850,5 million, while imports rose slightly by 1,2 percent to US$881,3 million, resulting in a trade balance deficit of US$30,8 million—a 548,8 percent decrease from the August 2025 surplus of US$6,9 million.
In his comment, Buy Zimbabwe chairperson Mr Munyaradzi Hwengwere said the nation needs to accelerate these import substitution programmes and only import what the country does not produce.
“That being said, our exports continue to be dominated by raw materials in both minerals and agriculture. We need to deepen efforts at value addition, reward those who produce locally, while disincentivising those who rely on imports, especially on products made in Zimbabwe,” said Mr Hwengwere.
“We are excited that, as Buy Zimbabwe, in partnership with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, we are now advanced in coming up with an online local content rating portal.
“Once in place, this tool will enable the Government to ensure that appropriate policies support local manufacturers, while the public procurement system can now identify and work with local producers rather than middlemen for imported goods.”
According to ZimStats, among the top ten products exported to SADC in September 2025 were nickel mattes (50,2 percent), chromium ores and concentrates (8,4 percent), tobacco, partly and wholly stemmed (7,1 percent), and semi-manufactured gold (5,4 percent).
Zimbabwe’s exports to the European union (EU) in September 2025 were tobacco, partly or wholly stemmed/stripped (76,7 percent), ferro-chromium (21 per cent), and granite, crude or roughly trimmed/merely cut into squares (1,1 percent), accounting for around 99 percent of the total value of US$36,1 million of goods exported to the EU.
The major exports to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in September 2025 were nickel mattes (48,9 percent), tobacco, partly or wholly stemmed/stripped (9,2 percent), chromium ores and concentrates (8,2 percent), and semi-manufactured/unwrought gold (5,3 percent).
“The four products accounted for 72 percent of the total export value of US$217,1 million,” reads the update from ZimStats.
“The major exports to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) in September 2025 comprised tobacco, partly or wholly stemmed/stripped, tobacco smoking/cigarettes containing tobacco, and coke and semi-coke of coal.
“The products constituted 23,5 percent, 18,3 percent, and 11,2 percent of the total export value of US$20,6 million, respectively.”
Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products, machinery and mechanical appliances, vehicles, and electrical machinery and equipment were among the top ten imported products in September 2025.
The products constituted 22,6 percent, 13,8 percent, 8 percent, and 6,1 percent of the total import value of US$881,3 million, respectively.
“South Africa dominates imports with a 35,6 percent share, China (14,4 percent), Bahamas (8,7 percent), and Bahrain (6,9 percent) follow as key suppliers.
“Together, the top four countries account for nearly 66 percent of total imports. Other notable partners: UAE (3,6 percent), Mozambique (6,1 percent), and Zambia (2,7 percent).”
The Second Republic, which assumed power in 2017, has an explicit policy objective to achieve export-led growth as outlined in Zimbabwe Vision 2030, through fostering a conducive business environment to attract foreign investment and value addition.
