Online Reporter
Sikhulekelani Moyo
Zimpapers Business Hub
NATIONAL trade development and promotion body, ZimTrade, is facilitating an outward trade-seller mission to Beira, Mozambique, from July 1 to 3, with 15 export-ready Zimbabwean companies participating.
This follows the Beira market scan conducted in March 2025, which discovered key export opportunities for local companies.
ZimTrade chief executive officer, Mr Allan Majuru, said the study established immediate trade potential and long-term partnership opportunities that local exporters can capitalise on.
“Mozambican businesses demonstrated particular interest in our construction materials, agricultural inputs and processed food products, with many importers actively seeking reliable suppliers,” said Mr Majuru.
Mozambique’s booming construction sector has driven demand for Zimbabwean exports, including US$5,5 million in steel and US$1,4 million in timber (2023 figures).
Additionally, Mozambique currently absorbs 19 percent of Zimbabwe’s cereal exports as well as horticultural products like tea, coffee, avocados, macadamias and pineapples.
Zimtrade said the outward mission offered businesses a platform to engage with Mozambican counterparts, explore trade opportunities and secure export orders of products already in demand.
“The Zimbabwean delegation comprises companies from key sectors, including processed foods, horticulture, building and construction materials, agricultural inputs, PPEs (personal prospective equipment), leather products and services,” said Zimtrade.
“The three-day mission will begin with a Trade and Investment Conference, bringing together business executives, trade support institutions, Mozambican government officials and importers.
“This mission aligns with a May 2023 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ZimTrade, ZIDA and Mozambique’s APIEX, which promotes joint participation in trade events and institutional exchanges.”
According to ZimTrade, the agreement encourages knowledge sharing, business matchmaking and market expansion, which are the key objectives of the Beira mission.
ZimTrade has been actively organising similar trade missions, including a 2024 outward mission to Tete Province, which helped local firms establish distribution partnerships and even set up operations in Mozambique.
This has strengthened trade ties between the two nations, supported by their geographic proximity.
Mozambique is Zimbabwe’s fourth-largest export market, with data from Trades Map showing a 12 percent increase in exports from US$354 million in 2019 to US$398 million in 2023.
Local companies have been benefiting from a bilateral agreement signed in 2005, allowing duty-free trade with 25 percent local value addition.
Both countries are also part of the SADC Protocol, which aims to reduce trade barriers.
Outward seller missions organised by ZimTrade are in line with the Government’s National Export Strategy of growing exports by 10 percent annually.
Since its inception, President Mnangagwa’s administration has focused on promoting investment, including through engagement and re-engagement as well as policy thrusts such as Zimbabwe is Open for Business.
The Government has demonstrated its commitment to economic growth, development and investment promotion through instituting an array of business-friendly economic policy reforms and issuance of various incentives such as tax breaks.
