Online Reporter
Edgar Vhera
Specialist Writer, Agribusiness
THE Netherlands remains Zimbabwe’s top fresh produce importer, with Harare’s trade surplus growing by 123 percent from US$18 million in 2022 to US$40 million last year.
Prior to the Netherlands becoming a dominant destination for Zimbabwe’s fresh produce, in the 1990’s and early 2 000, the United Kingdom was the major destination for Zimbabwe’s horticultural exports.
Among the products exported to the Netherlands are edible fruit and nuts (peel of citrus fruit or melons) worth US$33 million, live trees and other plants (bulbs, roots, cut flowers and ornamental foliage) valued at US$8 million, as well as edible vegetables and tubers valued at US$4 million.
The Dutch Embassy confirmed via its X platform that the Netherlands was now the number one destination for Zimbabwe’s fresh produce.
“The Dutch-ZimTrade long-standing partnership is energising exports from Zimbabwe to the Netherlands and the European union (EU) by upskilling local companies, building market linkages and developing inclusive, sustainable supply chains from the ground up,” said the Embassy.
Statistics from the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) show that the country has been enjoying a trade surplus since 2022, after a US$24 million deficit in 2021.
In 2022, Zimbabwe exported goods worth US$48 million to the Netherlands and imported US$30 million, resulting in a trade surplus of US$18 million.
A trade surplus generally occurs when a country exports goods and services with a higher value than it imports.
Last year, the Netherlands imported products valued at US$68 million from Zimbabwe and exported goods worth US$28 million, resulting in a positive trade balance of 40 million in favour of Harare.
The Netherlands accounts for nearly 60 percent of Zimbabwe’s horticultural product exports.
The southern African country also exported vegetables, fruit, nuts, other parts of plants, coffee, tea, mate and spices, among others.
