Zimbabwe's blueberry exports are currently the fastest growing in the world, the international information and analytical platform EastFruit revealed.
"On average over the past five years, Zimbabwe has increased blueberry exports by 63% each year or by 1,200 tones. In 2022, exports grew by 85% or 2.3 thousand tons and exceeded 5 thousand tons, which allowed the country to enter the top 15 countries in blueberry exports and overtake Serbia in volume," economist at the investment department of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
The favorable climatic conditions, availability of high-quality water for irrigation and inexpensive labor in Zimbabwe facilitated the inflow of foreign investments in the blueberry production in the country, mainly from South Africa, the analysts said.
The blueberries export from Zimbabwe is projected by the EastFruit experts to increase by another 30-40% to 6,500-7,000 tons. Given the high blueberry prices due to the crop failure in Peru, the country could significantly earn exporting blueberries in the new season, the experts noted.
Zimbabwe mainly exports the berry to South Africa, for further re-export, according to the EastFruit. Among other countries, where the Zimbabwe's blueberry exports go to, are the United Kingdom, the nations of the European Union and the Middle East, Russia, as reported.
Georgia, which annually increases the export of this berry by an average of 50% by volume, is also one of the leading states in terms of blueberry export growth rates, the analysts revealed. According to them, in 2023, the country's export enhanced by 2,5 times and reached 3,400 tons.
Zimbabwe also produced a record amount of tobacco this year, the country's Agriculture Ministry said.