Farai Mabeza
Zimbabwe’s trade development and promotion body, ZimTrade, says Singapore can become a new haven for the country’s horticulture products.
ZimTrade this week presented findings from a recent market scan conducted in the Asian city state.
Singapore has a population of over 6 million people and a GDP of US$501 billion. It imports over 90 percent of its food requirements with latest annual figures showing imports from Zimbabwe’s neighbours South Africa and Mozambique valued at US$979 million and US$694 million respectively.
This is in contrast to US$10 million worth of goods bought from Zimbabwe.
“Singapore is ready to embrace Zimbabwean products—if we can deliver with unwavering consistency and scale. That’s not a challenge; it’s a golden invitation to rise, to shine, to show the world what we’re made of.
“Our market scan… was not just a fact-finding mission; it was a revelation that set our hearts ablaze. Engagements and observations during the scan pointed to a cash-rich hub where consumers demand quality, consistency, and sustainability and what this means is our Zimbabwean exporters must ensure that supply is consistent and we maintain delivering the quality produce we have come to be known for,” ZimTrade’s operations director, Similo Nkala said.
“It is a story of promise that we are sharing, because of the vast opportunities presented to us in the Singapore market”.
Products that are expected to be in demand from Zimbabwe include blueberries, avocados, citrus fruits, and macadamia nuts.
In 2024, Zimbabwe exported US$50 million worth of blueberries, up 351 percent from 2020 making the country one of Africa’s top producers.
Singapore Business Federation market advisor for Africa, Middle East and South Asia, Rusyaidi Radzi said Zimbabwe’s current export figures to his country were a reflection of untapped opportunity.
“Zimbabwe’s capabilities in agriculture and valued added products remain underutilized in the Singapore market. Our mission is to connect businesses with opportunities around the world.
“In Africa including Zimbabwe we act as a strategic connector leveraging our network and market expertise to pave the way for tangible commercial partnerships,” Radzi said.
Horticulture Development Council operations manager Mandla Mataure described the results of the market scan as exciting.
“Looking at the volumes that they import from other countries, we stand a very good chance of getting our produce there. We already know that our produce is good quality, …good taste and all of that.
“So I think we need to look into it seriously. I was having conversations now and found out that there is a possibility to attract investment into production so that the contracts between Zimbabwean producers and Singaporean buyers have that investment component …so that there is money flowing in to support production,” Mataure said.
