Zimbabwe is positioning itself to unlock a US$1 billion chilli export industry, with plans to supply up to 50 000 tonnes annually to the China market through expanded production and value-addition initiatives.
The drive is being led by agro-processing firm Stagri-Brands, working in partnership with the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) and ZimTrade. The programme leverages the growing network of village business units to boost output across all provinces.
Growing demand from China has intensified interest in Zimbabwean chillies, with buyers already engaging producers following a recent tour of Stagri-Brands’ processing plant in Banket. Chinese buyer Ms Aisha Guli said Zimbabwe’s chillies stand out for their purity and flavour.
“We are excited with what we witnessed today and most of our chillies come from India, but we are in love with Zimbabwe products because they are natural. There is huge potential for the local industry to meet our demands, so we are going to start with small shipments,” she said.
ARDA Operations Director, Washington Katiyo, said the rollout will be driven by extensive community participation.
“As ARDA, we are utilising the expansive village business units to grow chillies for exports. We have partnered with a company called Stagri-Brands to ensure we create value for our communities. Out of the 35 000 business units and 9 000 school business units, the production of chilli is guaranteed considering the availability of markets,” he said.
ZimTrade Chief Executive Officer, Allan Majuru, emphasised the need to expedite trade agreements to unlock the sector’s export potential.
“Production of chilli has a huge potential in Zimbabwe and the availability of a huge market in China requires the expeditious implementation of the Trade Protocol on Chilli between the two countries,” he said.
Stagri-Brands CEO, Valentine Tapfumaneyi, said the company is ready to meet rising export demand.
“The demand for chilli is immediate, which has been confirmed by the Chinese buyers’ visit to our plant. We are ready to supply 50 000 tonnes of the crop to China. We are also working on our value-addition plant, which will play a critical role towards creating employment opportunities.
“We currently have centres across the country, doing 100 hectares of the crop and our partnership with ARDA will see every Village Business Unit doing the crop emerge as key empowerment to communities, considering it grows in all our ecological regions,” he explained.
The programme aligns with calls by President Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa under the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS1) for innovation, inclusivity, and wider community participation in export-led growth.
With the global chilli market valued at over US$7 billion, Zimbabwe’s initiative is expected to benefit up to 300 000 farmers through increased production, expanded export earnings, and enhanced value-addition opportunities.
