Edgar Vhera, Specialist Writer, Agribusiness
ZIMBABWE’S trade surplus with the Netherlands has grown by 100 percent, from US$13 million in 2023 to US$25 million last year, driven by strong growth in horticultural exports, which account for the bulk of the former’s shipments.
A trade surplus generally occurs when a country exports goods and services with a higher value than it imports.Statistics of bilateral trade between Zimbabwe and the Netherlands compiled by online database on international trade statistics body (TradeMap), show that the country earned US$50 668 million from all exports in 2024 and outlaid US$25 921 million in goods imports, a trade surplus of US$24 747 million.
In 2023, the country exported goods worth US$38 180 million and imported products valued at US$25 560 million, marking a trade surplus of US$12 620 million.
Among the products exported to the Netherlands are edible fruit and nuts (peel of citrus fruit or melons), live trees and other plants (bulbs, roots and the like, cut flowers and ornamental foliage) as well as edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers.
The country also sold preparations of vegetables, fruit, nuts, or other parts of plants, coffee, tea, mate and spices, among others.
In 2024, the horticultural products exports were valued at US$49 365 million, accounting for 97 percent of the export earnings.
However, Netherlands ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mrs Margret Verwijk, revealed significantly higher values when she recently commented on the shipments of the mostly horticultural produce to her country.“Always great to see Zimbabwean produce headed to the Netherlands. In 2024, Zimbabwe exported US$58 million to the Netherlands and imported US$24 million.“But given strong demand, fresh produce exports can grow much more. Consistency, quality and meeting European Union (EU) standards are key.“We are working with communities, agribusinesses and the Government to make it happen.”This represents a trade surplus of US$34 million.Speaking at the second edition of the horticulture investment forum, Mrs Verwijk challenged the country, saying the Netherlands exported 65 billion Euros of agricultural products annually, yet her total country size was a tenth of Zimbabwe.“We achieved this after decades of research, innovation and long-term investment in infrastructure,” she said.Kuminda chief executive officer and the Horticultural Development Council’s (HDC) Export Produce Growers Association of Zimbabwe chairman, Mr Clarence Mwale, recently revealed in a post on X that his organisation was exporting mangetout peas to the Netherlands, saying:“Sea freight loading from Harare to Cape Town, South Africa.
Product; mangetout, sugar snap peas destination: Rotterdam, Netherlands Exporter: Kuminda Fresh, Logistics: AIRFLO B.V.”Kuminda is a multi-national company founded in Zimbabwe and jointly owned by Messrs Mwale and Fred Matenga, whose main goal is to empower African farmers by linking them with international markets.An X post from the Horticultural Development Council (HDC) recently read: “Proud to join our partners PUM of the Netherlands in Zimbabwe and ZimTrade on a technical intervention programme supporting Zimbabwe’s horticulture producers.“The programme helps exporters boost production standards, ensuring our produce continues to meet the highest global quality benchmarks.”Speaking at the recently held EU-Zimbabwe business forum 2025, HDC chief executive officer, Mrs Linda Niesen, said Zimbabwe’s exports of horticultural produce are worth US$80 million annually but have the potential to grow this to US$2 billion with the right investments.“Horticulture takes patience and the EU is key in securing financing for our growers. Reaching our potential takes teamwork, so that our horticulture can be counted in the Champions League of global trade,” she said.HDC chairman Mr Liam Philp agreed, saying smallholder farmers were the heartbeat of Zimbabwean agribusiness and his organisation was spearheading their integration into the export market under the “Hub and Spoke” model, which drives sustainable growth.Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary, Professor Obert Jiri said the country was targeting to build a US$2 billion horticulture industry by 2030 on the backdrop of surging production and exports of high-value crops such as blueberries, which are rapidly transforming the sector into a major foreign currency earner.Prof Jiri said the Government regarded the revival of the horticulture sector as a key element in boosting the economy through enabling the smallholder sector to participate meaningfully in enhanced production and productivity, development of local and regional markets, employment creation, expansion of exports and reduction in poverty.“Zimbabwe is spending millions on importing horticultural products and foreign currency resources could be saved through boosting local production,” he added.The country’s horticulture sector needs to grow by at least 30 percent annually to reach its 2030 target of US$2 billion.
Source: The Herald
