China opens market to Zimbabwean blueberries

ZIMBABWE – China has approved imports of blueberries from Zimbabwe, giving the southern African nation a foothold in Asia’s biggest destination for the fruit.

The Horticultural Development Council (HDC) confirmed on September 4 that the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding, allowing Zimbabwe to begin exports once the fruit meets China’s sanitary and phytosanitary requirements.

“This agreement is a milestone for the Zimbabwean horticultural sector. It is now necessary to collaborate in order to design policies that promote investment, increase production to reach the required volumes and ensure that our blueberries meet China’s strict quality and phytosanitary standards,” said Linda Nielsen, Director General of the HDC.

Zimbabwe’s blueberry industry has grown rapidly in recent years, with exports rising an average of 48 percent annually over the past five years, according to data from EastFruit. Production is projected to increase by 50 percent in 2025, reaching 12,000 tonnes.

China’s demand for blueberries has surged. Trade Map figures show imports grew from 184.3 million dollars in 2020 to nearly 355 million dollars in 2024, an annual increase of 17.56 percent.

That growth has drawn suppliers from across the world, with Peru and Chile currently dominating the market and accounting for 99 percent of imports in 2024.

Zimbabwe hopes to carve out space despite the strong competition. Exporters see China as a market that can drive further growth, especially as production volumes continue to rise at home. “The opportunity is significant, but we must align our output to international standards if we want to compete with established players,” said an exporter based in Harare.

Regional momentum in Asia

Zimbabwe’s breakthrough comes just weeks after South Africa secured its own fruit deal with Beijing. Agriculture minister John Steenhuisen announced that China agreed to protocols covering five stone fruits: apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums and prunes.

“This is significant in a number of ways. It is the first time China negotiated more than one product with us at a time. Usually they focus on one fruit type, and we got five in this particular deal,” Steenhuisen said.

The development comes as South African exporters face new pressure from the United States, which recently imposed a 30 percent tariff on local fruit.

“In terms of diversification, China is a huge opportunity for South Africa, with 1.6 billion population, which is too many mouths to feed and a lot of demand for our agricultural products,” Steenhuisen explained.

Officials in Pretoria expect the agreement to be finalized during the upcoming agricultural G20 meeting. The minister added that cherries and mangos could follow in the next round of talks.

With Zimbabwe entering the blueberry market and South Africa opening doors for stone fruits, southern Africa is deepening its trade links with China at a time when access to new markets has become vital for farmers and exporters alike.

Sign up to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World HERE.