Zimbabwe is set to sign with China a citrus export deal that will give local farmers direct access to a market worth 500 million dollars annually.
The country’s agency for export development and promotion, ZimTrade, said on Monday that it was negotiating with Chinese authorities on behalf of the government and called the deal ‘farming industry-transforming.’
“This is expected to open up direct access to a huge market for local farmers,” said ZimTrade CEO Allan Majuru.
He added that such a deal would open up a new frontier for locals who had previously relied on the European market.
The citrus fruits to be exported to China include orange, mandarin, lemon, limes, tangelo and grapefruit, Majuru said.
The southern African country is currently working on scaling up production in its horticulture sector to meet the soaring demand for citrus fruits worldwide.