Zimbabwe’s exports to China rise in the first seven months of 2026, driven by lithium, steel and horticultural products

Zimbabwe’s exports to China surge 142.4 per cent to US$1.44 billion in the first seven months of 2026, according to figures from China’s Ministry of Commerce cited by The Herald, a TV BRICS partner.

China’s share of Zimbabwe’s total exports rises from 12.5 per cent to 19.6 per cent. A newly signed phytosanitary protocol further opens the Chinese market to Zimbabwean fresh produce, including citrus, avocados and blueberries. Horticultural exports increase by 6 per cent to US$37 million, while blueberry exports nearly double to US$8.5 million.

Minerals remain a major component of Zimbabwe’s exports to China, alongside stone and ferrochrome. Zimbabwe is also China’s second-largest source of lithium concentrate imports, accounting for about 15.54 per cent of China’s total lithium concentrate imports in 2025.

Zimbabwe’s lithium export earnings rise from US$1.8 million in 2018 to US$500 million in 2025 and are projected to reach US$1 billion in 2026. The country’s lithium mining industry generated US$746 million in export earnings in the first half of this year.

Trade between Zimbabwe and China reaches US$4.408 billion in 2025, up from about US$1.882 billion in 2021. China imports US$2.573 billion worth of goods from Zimbabwe during the year, while exports to Zimbabwe total US$1.835 billion, leaving Harare with a US$738 million trade surplus.

Chinese companies are also expanding their investments in Zimbabwe’s lithium sector. China remains a major source of investment for Zimbabwe, with Chinese foreign direct investment exceeding US$10 billion by 2025, according to China’s Ministry of Commerce. Chinese companies are also active in power generation, infrastructure and agriculture, including tobacco, cotton and crop production.

African Times published this article in partnership with International Media Network TV BRICS