The Agri-business Sector in Zimbabwe 2023

The agribusiness industry is one of Zimbabwe’s most important economic growth drivers together with mining and tourism. The sector has linkages to other industries such as food manufacturers. All farm land belongs to the state and farmers are issued with 99-year lease agreements. Major crops are tobacco, maize, cotton, and sugarcane.

Agriculture represents 8.5% of GDP and provides employment and income to 60% to 70% of the population. Most agricultural land is farmed by smallholder farmers. The industry provides opportunities to supply tractors, planters, harvesters, irrigation equipment and pesticides and for small stock-rearing and agro-processing such as manufacturing, drying, salting and preservation.

Key Opportunities

• Agro-processing including drying, salting and preservation methods
• Availability of land particularly for smallholder farmers
• Manufacture of irrigation equipment and pesticides
• Small stock rearing particularly goats
• Supply of farm mechanisation

Challenges

• Declining soil fertility.
• Deteriorating transport and market infrastructure.
• High cost of utilities.
• High inflation, exchange rate volatility and high cost of funding.
• High inputs costs such as fertilisers and chemicals.
• Land tenure insecurity.
• Limited access to agricultural finance.
• Pest and disease outbreaks.
• Poor farming practices.
• Shortage of farm equipment (tractors, planters, and harvesters).
• Shortage of professional skills.
• Water scarcity.

Key Trends

• Continuous training for employees in crop production and agro-processing.
• Diversification and innovation of processed products for the markets.
• Diversification of crops under production.
• Irrigation rehabilitation and expansion.
• Promotion and adoption of research that improves productivity of seed and animal varieties

Outlook

Zimbabwe’s GDP growth is projected at 3.2% in 2023 up from 3.0% in 2022, anchored by agriculture, mining, and services. In the short-term, agriculture production input costs are expected to remain high. Cash crops such as tobacco and cotton are reported to be in good condition in the 2022/2023 planting season. The maize harvest is expected to increase in 2023. Major risks such as the uncertain global economic outlook, climate shocks, power shortages and exchange rate volatility will continue to undermine opportunities to increase agricultural output in Zimbabwe.

Report Coverage

This report on the agribusiness sector in Zimbabwe includes information on crop, horticulture and livestock production and processing, trade, notable players, recent investments, corporate actions, government support and programmes, competition and barriers to entry.

There are profiles of 21 companies including major players across the value chain such as National Foods , tea and horticulture companies such as Tanganda Estates and Ariston Holdings, sugar companies such as Hippo Valley Estates, Triangle Sugar and Starafrica, companies involved in tobacco such as BAT and Rift Valley Estates, and seed companies such as Seed Co and Agriseeds.