Zimbabwe will soon ship avocados to China following a September 4-6, 2024 bilateral agreement at the China-Africa Forum in Beijing.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his host Xi Jinping signed the phytosanitary pact, alongside several other bilateral exchanges.
But Zimbabwe’s joining the likes of Kenya, South Africa, and lately Tanzania to the 66,000-tonne Chinese avocado export base comes at a price.
Strict Requirements
The price lies in the “Phytosanitary requirements…” protocol, which is bespoke of strict cold storage and disease control processes.
Harare will however likely meet the protocol as its Hass variety still manages to reach the stringent European Union’s market.
Zimbabwe’s avocado shippers will also imitate the road local oranges have taken since they won the Chinese market in 2023.
Avocados could require similar cold sterilization as oranges, which undergo this treatment to maintain freshness and eradicate pests en-route.
Export Volume Indeterminate
Depending on volume specifications, Zimbabwe will see some of its 6,000-tonne avocado harvest estimate in 2024 reach China.
Since the agreement is still in its infancy, it is too early to predict total shipments to Beijing.
In its part, the Zimbabwean Avocado Growers’ Association says that volumes will depend on aseptic terms as well as export costs.
Shipping Costs from Zimbabwe
Shipping costs could contribute to the feasible tonnage, with two options of airfreight and ocean freight available.
The sea option is cost-effective but it needs over a month from planning to delivery. Indeed, it takes 35 to 45 days to ship goods to China from Zimbabwe, according to the International Freight Services (IFS). Besides, Zimbabwe relies on the nearby Beira harbour in Mozambique or Durban in South Africa.
In contrast, the air logistics option though expensive provides deliveries between the two nations in 5 to 7 business days.
Be it as it may, Zimbabwe’s avocados could benefit much from this agreement as it has potential to expand market penetration. Indeed, the country’s avocado shipments decreased by 31% in 2023 as a result of low international market access. For more on the country’s exports, production and consumption trends, read on the statistics below.
Zimbabwe Avocado Statistics
Zimbabwe is Africa’s 5th biggest avocado-producing nation with an annual harvest above the 6,000-tonne capacity. In 2021, the production approximated 6,247 tonnes, according to FAOSTAT. 2022 would see a slight decline to about about 6,168 tonnes. So did the harvest area slightly decrease from 1,073 hectares in 2021 to 1,044 hectares in 2022. The South African nation now projects acreage to increase from 1,500 hectares in 2024 to 4,000 hectares by 2030. Most of the cultivation is in the high-altitude Chipinge district in the southeast-situated Manicaland Province.
How much avocados does Zimbabwe export annually?
In 2022, fresh or dried avocado shipments hit 2,748 tonnes, according to ITC data. Contrasting statistics by the Horticulture Development Council (HDC), courtesy News Day newspaper, shows that the country exported 8,180 tonnes in 2022. In terms of key destinations, ITC details that South Africa received the bulk of exports at 1,905 tonnes in 2023. The Netherlands tops destinations outside Africa by volume.
How many avocados do Zimbabweans eat per year?
Annual consumption was at 26 tonnes tonnes per year in 2020, the 126th highest among countries.