ZIMBABWE has received the green light to export fresh citrus fruits to China, according to a tweet from the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe.
The tweet, posted on Saturday, announced that the General Administration of Customs of China has released a list of registered Zimbabwean orchards and packhouses authorized for citrus exports to China. It stated, ‘On June 1st, 2023, the General Administration of Customs of China released the list of registered Zimbabwean orchards and packhouses for citrus exporting to China.’
A total of 11 citrus orchards and six citrus packhouses in Zimbabwe were included in the list, signifying their involvement in the citrus export industry to China.
Zimbabwe boasts about 4,000 hectares of land dedicated to citrus production, benefiting from a favourable climate for growing citrus fruits.
The development comes after Zimbabwe and China signed a citrus protocol in 2022, which paved the way for Zimbabwean companies to access the Chinese market for citrus exports. China is regarded as one of Zimbabwe’s major export destinations, ranking third in terms of importing Zimbabwean goods last year, as reported by the country’s trade promotion agency, ZimTrade.
Trade between Zimbabwe and China has been flourishing, with a notable increase of 29.2 percent in overall trade volume between the two countries compared to the previous year. In 2022, the trade figure reached a record high of $2.43bn.
The approval of citrus exports to China opens up new opportunities for Zimbabwean citrus producers, expanding their market reach and potentially boosting the country’s economy.