ZIMBABWE’S export promotion body, ZimTrade, says the country’s floriculture industry has been negatively affected by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic as exports have been affected in the short-to-medium-term.

Flower exports used to be, at the height of production, one of Zimbabwe’s biggest foreign currency earners. By 2001, Zimbabwean flower exports ranked as the second largest in Africa, only behind Kenya.

Zimbabwe was also the fifth biggest exporter to the European Union.
Demand for nonessential products such as flowers in Europe, which is the largest importer of Zimbabwean flowers, has been reduced and one of the world’s largest flower markets in The Netherlands has had to destroy tonnes of flowers due to lack of demand, for the first time in their 100 years of existence, due to the Covid-19 crisis.

Confronted by this reality, it is important to note that actions by local exporters during this crisis period would determine their relevance on the global market post the Covid-19 period.

Zimbabwe has had to reschedule the international horticulture and floriculture trade fair, Hortiflor 2020, which was planned to be held in March at the Harare International Conference Centre.

The shutdown of both local and open-air markets significantly reduced the demand for fruit and vegetables.
The price of mixed-quality garlic was US$1 050 per tonne before the outbreak of the virus, the outbreak of the coronavirus disrupted regular patterns in the garlic market where the growing garlic reserve, combined with a shrinking consumer demand caused panic in the garlic market and caused the price to drop by US$300.

However, a severe rise in the price of some fruits and vegetables has also been reported on the wholesale markets in Bulgaria due to increase in demand for fruits and vegetables which has increased by five to 10 percent.

Across major markets, the increase applies mostly to imported foods, including lemons, bananas, oranges, kiwis, mandarins, blueberries, broccoli, cucumbers, tomatoes and more.

“Therefore, farmers and exporters of horticulture produce in Zimbabwe are encouraged to focus on increasing quality and quantity so that they capitalise on the higher price once markets begin to open,” ZimTrade said.

The outbreak of the virus has seen those in manufacturing reducing output due to downturn while others are facing disruptions in sourcing of raw materials, especially those that are imported.