THE country’s trade development and promotion body, ZimTrade, is projecting a 10% year-on-year growth in exports as it seeks to attain a US$14 billion annual target by 2030.
Similo Nkala, ZimTrade’s operations director, revealed the plan on the sidelines of ZimTrade’s Buyers Seminar that kicked off its Harare leg yesterday. The Bulawayo edition will be held today.
The seminar brought together 15 buyers from France, Mozambique, Zambia, Angola, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Senegal and Ethiopia.
The buyers were drawn from sectors such as fast-moving consumer goods, horticulture and sesame, agricultural inputs and implements, construction and engineering products, iron and steel, protective clothing, and meat products industries.
“I think the target that has been there is that we have to increase our exports to US$14 billion by 2030, and as of last year, I think we are still on course in terms of the targets that we have,” Nkala told journalists on the sidelines of the seminar on yesterday.
“Our total exports for last year were US$7,4 billion and the target is for us to increase our exports by 10% year-on-year, and we are happy to say as of the end of August this year, in comparison to last year, our exports have increased by 23% compared to August 2024, and we are hopeful that we will be able to reach our target for total exports for 2025.”
He emphasised ZimTrade’s initiatives to support exporters, including the construction of in-market warehouses at the Kasumbalesa Border Post.
These warehouses are expected to provide a central point for Zimbabwean exporters to access the Zambian and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) markets.
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“We are working on coming up with the in-market warehouse in Kasumbalesa, which is the border between Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where we found that there are quite a lot of opportunities that are available in DRC. Instead of us exporting directly to DRC, we want to have a central point that will support our exports in both Zambia and the DRC markets,” Nkala said.
“It is still work in progress, and we are hopeful that by the end of next year, we should have something running. Right now, we have purchased land, and we are now looking forward to the construction of the in-market warehouse.”
He highlighted the importance of lobbying and advocacy efforts to improve the ease of doing business in the country.
“I think, as ZimTrade, one of our core services is lobbying and advocacy on the ease of doing export business. The current review in terms of policies and improving the ease of doing business that is happening is also part of our efforts,” Nkala said.
“We have been engaging the relevant authorities in terms of improving the ease of doing export business. Our role is more in terms of lobbying and advocacy on behalf of the exporters.”
He added that the recent reduction in agricultural livestock payments was expected to improve the export competitiveness of Zimbabwean products.
