Zimbabwe coffee exports rise 59% driven by smallholder farmers

Zimbabwe’s coffee sector has registered notable growth, with exports rising by 59 per cent to US$1 million in the latest reporting period. The growth has been largely attributed to increased output from smallholder farmers, who continue to play an expanding role in national production.

Coffee export volumes increased by 33 per cent to 158,483 kilogrammes from 119,452 kilogrammes since January 2024, as reported by The Herald, a partner of TV BRICS.

Industry stakeholders have highlighted ongoing efforts to enhance traceability and mapping systems across the value chain to ensure that coffee shipments can be traced back to their farms of origin. These initiatives are aimed at supporting transparency, improving coordination among producers, and strengthening market access conditions.

The sector continues to be driven by smallholder farmers, whose participation has expanded steadily across rural areas. Around 1,300 growers are currently active, with projections indicating potential expansion of cultivated land to 5,000 hectares by 2050, supported by rising interest in coffee farming and new plantation development.

Coffee industry representatives emphasised that long-term investment in inputs, irrigation and production infrastructure remains important for sustained expansion.