This is a major boost to trade relations
between Zimbabwe
and China, which has become the country’s largest foreign direct investment
source.
The Government of Zimbabwe and China finalised the citrus
trade protocol last year that is meant to facilitate exports of citrus products
to the Asian country in order to broaden market scope for Zimbabwe.
This was in fulfilment of the process that was initiated in
2015 when the country sought a market for Shashi irrigation scheme smallholder
citrus growers.
In an announcement on its official Twitter handle, the
Chinese Embassy in Harare released the list of organisations that have been
approved to export fresh citrus products.
The fresh citrus products to be exported to China from
Zimbabwe include sweet orange (Citrus sinensis), mandarin orange (Citrus
reticulata), grapefruit (Citrus paradisi), lemon (Citrus limon and Citrus
aurantifolia) and sour orange (Citrus aurantium).
“On June 1, 2023, the General Administration of Customs of
China released the list of registered Zimbabwean orchards and packhouses for
citrus exporting to China.
“Zimbabwean fresh citrus can now be exported to China,
which is the largest market of citrus consumption in the world,” announced the
Chinese Embassy.
The approved citrus orchards include Bishopstone Estates,
BK Cawood P/L, Nottingham Estate P/L and Luhawde P/L from Beitbridge as well as
Barry Warwick PVT Ltd, Broadbridge Investments T/A Mazowe Citrus Estate and
Forester Estates from Mazowe.
The other citrus orchards are Harleyton Farm/GMR Eastwood,
Roslin Farm/Verdun Services from Beatrice, Home Produce PVT Ltd (Makoni) and Corleinor
Pvt Ltd (Zvimba).
Approved citrus packhouses are Bishopstone Estates, BK
Cawood P/L, Nottingham Estates P/L all from Matabeleland South, Postwood
Investment, Broadbridge Investments t/a Mazoe Citrus Estates (Mashonaland
Central) and lastly Mashonaland West’s Corleinor P/L.
The Chinese Embassy said that orchards and packhouses that
want to export citrus to China must be registered by Zimbabwe’s Ministry of
Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement and approved by both the
Ministry and China Customs(GACC).
“The registration record must be forwarded by MLAWCRR to
GACC for approval prior to the export season.”
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development
permanent secretary Dr John Basera said that the release of the list of citrus
orchards and packhouses by the GACC marks the successful conclusion of
preparations to export into the Chinese Market by Zimbabwean growers.
“Now that the compliance issues have been achieved, all
registered growers are eligible to export to China subject to pre-shipment
inspections by inspectors from the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries,
Water and Rural Development,” he said.
“My ministry will provide support to ensure that the
long-awaited citrus exports are achieved in line with engagements being done by
the Second Republic that have led to the widening of market access to include
China.”
Dr Basera also revealed that his Ministry is now working on
further export protocols with China on blue berries, avocadoes and chillies.
The country last year exported 57 283 tonnes of citrus
produce to Singapore, UAE, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Netherlands, UK and Zambia.
Herald
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