Zimbabwe grows some of Africa’s most sought-after export crops. Its tobacco is prized on global markets, its blueberries command premium prices in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, and its flowers find buyers far beyond the continent.
Yet before many of these products reach international consumers, they make an unexpected detour.
They leave Zimbabwe by road.
For decades, Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport has functioned as southern Africa’s dominant air cargo gateway. For Zimbabwean exporters, it has become an indispensable but costly middleman — one that captures value that might otherwise remain within the domestic economy.
That dependency came under scrutiny at the inaugural Cargo Stakeholders Forum hosted by Aviation Ground Services (AGS) in Harare this week, where industry executives warned that Zimbabwe risks exporting not only its produce, but also the economic opportunities that accompany it.
Astral Aviation chief executive Sanjiv Gadhia summed up the challenge.
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“We currently operate into Harare on an ad hoc basis for tobacco, flowers and blueberries. We need to develop a strong cargo product for Zimbabwe that is not reliant on belly cargo movement through Johannesburg.”
His remarks cut to the heart of a long-standing structural weakness in Zimbabwe’s export ecosystem.
Although Harare has direct international connections, limited cargo capacity, irregular freighter services and high operating costs continue to force exporters to truck their goods to South Africa for onward shipment.
The result is a steady outflow of revenue.
Every consignment routed through Johannesburg attracts additional transport, storage and handling charges. Those costs are absorbed by producers already contending with expensive electricity, rising input prices and volatile global markets.
Zimbabwe exports about 5,319 tonnes of blueberries annually. Industry estimates suggest freight and energy costs have climbed by roughly 15%, trimming exporter margins by about 6%.
For producers, the implications are immediate. For the broader economy, they are strategic.
At a time when African air cargo markets are expanding rapidly, Zimbabwe remains a peripheral player.
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), African airlines recorded a 15.6% year-on-year increase in cargo demand in November 2025, while available cargo capacity rose by 18.1% — the fastest growth among all regions.
Yet Zimbabwe has struggled to position itself to benefit from that surge.
One reason is the imbalance in cargo flows.
Aircraft arriving in Harare often carry little inbound commercial freight, but leave heavily loaded with horticultural produce and tobacco. Without sufficient cargo in both directions, airlines find it difficult to sustain regular freighter services, discouraging long-term investment in Zimbabwe’s market.
It is a classic chicken-and-egg dilemma: airlines require volume and predictability, while exporters need reliable services before committing greater volumes.
Industry players argue that solving the problem requires more than airport infrastructure.
Zimbabwe has already invested US$153 million upgrading Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, significantly improving passenger and cargo handling facilities. But bricks and mortar alone cannot transform Harare into a regional cargo hub.
Competitive pricing, efficient customs procedures, streamlined regulation and coordinated policy execution are equally important.
AGS is now pursuing plans for a temperature-controlled cargo terminal to strengthen cold-chain logistics for horticultural and pharmaceutical exports. Such facilities are increasingly essential in global trade, where buyers demand strict quality assurance and uninterrupted temperature management.
Government has signalled support.
Speaking on behalf of the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Engineer Joy Makumbe said authorities were prepared to work with industry stakeholders to implement reforms aligned with National Development Strategy 2.
The opportunity is substantial.
Africa accounts for just 2.1% of global air cargo traffic measured by cargo tonne-kilometres. While that statistic highlights the continent’s limited footprint, it also points to enormous untapped potential.
For Zimbabwe, unlocking that potential may be particularly urgent.
Exporters are already targeting higher-value markets, shipping larger blueberry varieties to destinations such as Guangzhou and Dubai, where speed and reliability are critical competitive advantages.
But premium markets demand premium logistics.
Until Zimbabwe can consistently offer direct, dependable cargo services from Harare, many exporters will continue to rely on Johannesburg — allowing South Africa to earn revenue from handling products grown on Zimbabwean soil.
The question facing policymakers is no longer whether Zimbabwe can produce world-class exports.
It already does.
The bigger question is whether the country can build an air cargo system capable of keeping more of the value chain at home.
Until then, Zimbabwe will continue exporting more than tobacco, flowers and blueberries.
It will continue exporting opportunity.