Zimbabwe Fruits and Vegetables Market - Growth, Trends, Covid-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

Zimbabwe Fruits and Vegetables Market - Growth, Trends, Covid-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

The Zimbabwean fruits and vegetable market is projected to register a CAGR of 2.5% during the forecast period 2022-2027.

The market was negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The lockdown restrictions delayed the delivery of farm produce to the markets and limited market accessibility. The restrictions have resulted in the accumulation and spoilage of produce at the farm due to poor post-harvest handling. The COVID-19 pandemic has led the producers and the government to realize the importance of post-harvest management practices to avoid spoilage of produce.

The Zimbabwean fruits and vegetable market has been fluctuating for the past few years. These fluctuations in the market are majorly due to inflation and frequent changes in prices. Production volumes are also experiencing a significant impact due to the country's lack of a suitable climate and prevailing drought conditions. Vegetable production is primarily concentrated in a few provinces. The harvested area of vegetables is experiencing a very slow growth rate of around 2% due to the lack of attractive government subsidies for farmers. Very little exposure to the international market is also one of the demotivating factors for farmers. However, through government initiatives for adherence to phytosanitary conditions, the export market is booming for Zimbabwean crops. The demand for processed food such as juices, ketchup, and edible oils increased during the study period.

In 2020, fruits topped the Zimbabwean market in terms of production, accounting for about 3832 ton and denoting a steady increase in the demand for fruits within and outside the country. Zimbabwe exports a higher volume of fruits than vegetables to countries like South Africa, Zambia, Vietnam, United Kingdom, Bahrain, etc. South Africa accounted for 62% of fruit imports from Zimbabwe in 2020, at a value of USD 18,525 thousand. In 2019, the exports of fruits from Zimbabwe were valued at around USD 33,803.0 thousand, up from USD 23,155 thousand in 2017. Fruits produced for export include citrus (oranges, grapefruit, lemons), subtropical fruits (bananas, mangoes, passionfruit), deciduous fruits (peaches, apricots, plums, other stone fruits (nectarine), apples, and pears), and strawberries. Among them, citrus fruits are the most exported. According to a USDA report, citrus accounted for 4% of the total export from Zimbabwe in 2020. Thus, fruit production and exports dominate over vegetables in the country. Also, Zimbabwe has more than ten indigenous fruits, which are less exposed to other nations. An increase in production and the popularisation of these indigenous fruits is expected to boost the fruit market in Zimbabwe.

Overall, vegetable production dominates Zimbabwean agriculture production more than fruits and accounted for 185,566 ton in 2020, increasing from 184,687 ton in 2017. According to FAO, vegetables accounted for 8% of total crop production in 2020. In Matabeleland South, 15% of total crop production was vegetables, and it is anticipated to be the main region for vegetable production in the country. During the winter season, smallholders in the country mainly cultivate vegetables and legumes, and farmers usually purchase vegetable seeds rather than retain them from their own production, with only 8% of crop-producing households using seeds from their own stocks. Different varieties of vegetables are grown in the country during the dry and rainy seasons, such as tomatoes, okra, cabbage, rapeseed, onion, beans, gem squash, cucumber, and carrot, among other crops. Tomatoes topped the market, accounting for 25,113 ton in 2020, followed by chilies, onions, beans, and cabbage. The area harvested under vegetables increased to 26,224 hectares in 2020 from 26,146 hectares in 2019. The production of vegetables is expected to consistently increase over the forecast period, owing to a significant increase in the demand for such crops and with farmers aware of the growing demand in the market domestically and globally.

• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
• 3 months of analyst support