Online Reporter
Theseus Shambare
Zimbabwe is aiming to build a US$2 billion horticultural industry on the back of surging production and exports of high-value crops such as blueberries, which are rapidly transforming the sector into a major foreign currency earner.
Speaking in Mazowe on Tuesday during commemorations for International Blueberry Day, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary, Professor Obert Jiri, said the country’s horticulture recovery plan that was launched in 2021 is already bearing fruit.
“We started with our horticultural recovery programme in 2021, but our journey with blueberries began five to seven years ago,” he said.
“We trialled the crop on a small scale, and today we have over 8 000 hectares under blueberry production.”
According to data form ZimTrade, the country’s trade promotion agency, blueberry exports have grown dramatically, rising by 351 percent from US$11 million in 2020 to more than US$50 million in 2024.
Export volumes also increased significantly, from 2 503 tonnes to 6 240 tonnes during the same period, driven by rising global demand.
Prof Jiri pointed out Zimbabwe’s unique seasonal advantage in the global market.
“We get into the market two weeks earlier than major producers like Peru and stay two weeks longer at the end of the season,” he said.
“This timing, combined with our superior quality, makes Zimbabwean blueberries highly competitive.”
Prof Jiri said the growth has been further boosted by increased investment and growing international interest in the sector.
“We are seeing more and more investors coming into the blueberry sector,” he added.
“Zimbabwe is now among the top five global producers of blueberries, something we never imagined five years ago.”
The Horticultural Development Council (HDC) projects that blueberry exports will reach 10 000 tonnes in 2025, up from 8 000 tonnes last year.
This anticipated growth is expected to come from the maturation of existing plants and improved yields, rather than expansion of land under cultivation.
However, Prof Jiri warned that infrastructure gaps could limit the sector’s full potential.
“Cold chain facilities are critical, not just at farms, but also at airports and transit points,” he continued.
“Blueberries are perishable and quality handling is essential to maintain market standards.”
He said there was need to bolster the country’s transport infrastructure.
“Some of our blueberries are transported by road to markets like South Africa. Poor roads result in bruising of the fruit, which affects quality and export value,” he said.
