Business Reporter
THE country’s trade development and promotion body, ZimTrade is set to host a Buyers Seminar as part of the 2026 Export Week, aimed at securing export orders and fostering long-term international partnerships — one of two major export drives the organisation is coordinating, alongside leading more than a dozen Zimbabwean firms to the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai.
The Buyers Seminar is scheduled to take place tomorrow (November 2, 2026) at the Holiday Inn in Bulawayo, followed by sessions on November 4 and 6 at the Hyatt Regency in Harare.
The seminars will bring together 15 leading international buyers from the United Kingdom,
Germany, China, Poland, Mozambique, Zambia, Rwanda, Angola and Eswatini to engage with local exporters.
In an interview, ZimTrade chief executive officer Mr Allan Majuru said the primary objective is to translate international demand into tangible economic benefits.
“We expect the Seminars to generate export orders, distribution agreements and long-term business partnerships between Zimbabwean exporters and international buyers,” Mr Majuru said.
He added that the broader goal is to boost local production, industrial capacity utilisation, employment creation and foreign currency earnings.
The selection of participating countries was guided by international demand for Zimbabwean products, existing trade relationships and market intelligence. Mr Majuru noted that regional markets offer opportunities to consolidate trade under SADC, COMESA and AfCFTA, while
European and Asian markets provide avenues to diversify export destinations and expand trade in higher-value products. The targeted export sectors include horticulture, processed foods, fast-moving consumer goods, leather and textiles, building materials, engineering products and other manufactured goods — sectors he said align with the National Export Strategy and National
Development Strategy 2, which prioritise export diversification, value addition and industrialisation.
Rather than pursuing a fixed buyer-to-exporter ratio, ZimTrade said it is focusing on facilitating targeted business-to-business engagements, with each buyer matched to several capable
Zimbabwean exporters based on specific sourcing requirements.
“Our priority is to facilitate targeted business-to-business engagements… focusing on quality
engagements that generate export orders, sustainable supply agreements and measurable business
outcomes,” Mr Majuru said.
The 2026 Export Week is organised by ZimTrade, with Stanbic Bank and Afreximbank as sponsors
and Zimpapers as media partner.
In parallel, Zimbabwean companies will seek export orders, distribution agreements and strategic
partnerships at the ninth CIIE in Shanghai, with value-added products at the forefront of their pitch
to Chinese and global buyers. More than a dozen firms will exhibit under a unified pavilion coordinated by ZimTrade, aiming to expand the country’s exports to China beyond traditional
commodities and carve out opportunities in horticulture, processed foods, leather products and
other manufactured goods.
Zimbabwe’s participation in the CIIE aligns with President Mnangagwa’s commitment to
expanding the country’s international trade network across the globe.
“Our primary objective is to expand Zimbabwe’s exports to China, particularly value-added
products, while strengthening commercial relations between the two countries,” Mr Majuru said.
“We want to diversify our export basket beyond traditional commodities.”
China’s expanded zero-tariff market access, which took effect on 1 May, has opened fresh
opportunities for qualifying Zimbabwean products, and the companies intend to showcase goods
with potential under the new dispensation — including food and horticulture, oils, leather and
crafts. The firms expect to secure export orders and strategic partnerships with Chinese importers,
retailers and investors, while introducing more Zimbabwean products into Chinese supply chains
and identifying investment opportunities in value addition, processing and export logistics.
“At the end, we want to convert Zimbabwe’s strong diplomatic relations with China into tangible
commercial gains that support industrialisation, export diversification and sustainable economic
growth,” Mr Majuru said.
The companies are also pursuing business linkage development, hoping to identify agents, partners
and distributors not only among Chinese buyers but also among exhibitors from other countries.
The push comes amid booming bilateral trade. According to the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe,
China Customs data shows trade between the two countries surged to US$5.01 billion in the first
three quarters of 2026, a 51.6 per cent year-on-year increase. Zimbabwe’s tobacco exports to China
reached US$860 million, up 9.3 percent, while Zimbabwean blueberries entered the Chinese
market for the first time in July — a milestone the embassy described as “exciting.”
“China supports Zimbabwe in fully leveraging the zero-tariff policy to expand its exports,” the
embassy said. “Deepened economic and trade cooperation continues to deliver shared prosperity
for both nations.”
The CIIE, scheduled for 5-10 November 2026, is expected to attract more than 4,100 overseas
companies from 162 countries, regions and international organisations across an exhibition area
exceeding 440,000 square metres.
Zimbabwe’s pavilion will cover 132 square metres, with individual cubicles for each company within
a shared, coordinated national stand. The expo, an annual national-level event focused exclusively
on imports, is regarded by Beijing as a key instrument for signalling its openness to global trade and
the 2026 edition is expected to feature a record number of global, Asian and China debuts.
For smaller companies and those from developing nations in particular, the expo is seen as a critical entry point for finding Chinese partners, signing deals and testing market demand.
