Zimbabwe's Exports to China Soar to $1.36 Billion, Driven by Tobacco and Diversification

Zimbabwe's exports to China have experienced a dramatic increase, rising from approximately US$256 million in 2021 to US$1.36 billion in 2025. This growth signifies a growing acceptance of locally manufactured goods in the Chinese market, according to trade promotion agency Zimtrade.

Tobacco and related products continue to dominate Zimbabwe's export basket to China. Exports in this category grew from US$255.8 million in 2021 to a peak of US$628 million in 2024, settling at US$562 million in 2025. ZimTrade noted that this strong performance highlights the value of long-standing trade ties and presents opportunities for further value addition and processing.

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The strong performance of the sector demonstrates the value of longstanding trade ties while also presenting opportunities for greater value addition and processing.

Beyond tobacco, Zimbabwe's export portfolio to China has diversified significantly. Exports of salt, sulphur, stone, lime, and cement products have shown substantial growth, increasing from negligible levels in 2021 to approximately US$384 million in 2025, making them a leading export earner. Additionally, newer categories such as edible fruits and nuts, copper products, leather goods, cosmetics, and other processed items are emerging, signaling potential for broader export diversification.

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Exports of salt, sulphur, stone, lime and cement products grew significantly from negligible levels in 2021 to approximately US$384 million in 2025, making the category one of Zimbabwe's leading export earners in the Chinese market.

These developments align with Zimbabwe's industrialization strategy, which aims to move beyond raw commodity exports towards greater value addition and beneficiation. ZimTrade attributes the rapid market appreciation of Zimbabwean products partly to China's Green Channel 2.0 initiative. This program offers a dedicated facilitation mechanism with faster approval procedures, streamlined assessments, and flexible registration arrangements, designed to accelerate market access for African agricultural and food products.

The enhanced framework is expected to significantly reduce the time and administrative burdens for exporters. ZimTrade believes these new arrangements provide Zimbabwean businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises in agro-processing, horticulture, and light manufacturing, a valuable platform to expand into Asia's large consumer market.

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The enhanced framework introduces faster approval procedures, streamlined assessments, expanded use of remote inspections, and more flexible enterprise registration arrangements. These measures are expected to significantly reduce the time and administrative requirements associated with gaining access to the Chinese market.