The Sunday Mail
Trade Focus
Allan Majuru
ZIMBABWE’s export growth is dependent on several factors, including boosting production and diversification.
To shore up production, there is need to integrate previously marginalised communities such as rural areas, young people and women who can help in improving volumes.
On countless occasions, President Mnangagwa has made it clear that the mantra “leaving no one and no place behind” is rooted in the agenda of extending all economic activities — including export ventures — to all the country’s districts.
This is in line with the Second Republic’s devolution agenda.
In this inclusive thrust, what is important is to identify key products and services that will make it easy to integrate rural communities into mainstream export businesses.
This is where wild fruits and herbs become critical.
By harnessing wild fruits and herbs that are already found in abundance across all provinces, the country can integrate rural communities into international trade and economic development. Indigenous wild fruits and herbs can be used as a springboard to penetrate international markets due to fewer manufacturing processes required in preserving and packaging the final products. Given the potential to increase exports of wild fruits and herbs, there is also room for these products to contribute significantly to sustainable livelihoods through the creation of employment and community development.
Going forward, there is need for the provision of requisite investment downstream and export promotion services so that rural communities can participate in the global market by tapping into resources at their disposal at the community level.
Currently, ZimTrade — the national trade development and promotion organisation — is identifying provincial clusters that can be organised for export markets.
Some of the groups, including those in rural communities, are already receiving export capacity interventions targeted at improving their products, in line with expectations of international markets.
Post-harvest handling, packaging, branding, labelling and international marketing are some of the disciplines these groups are being exposed to, as ZimTrade prepares them for international markets.
Growing demand
The International Trade Centre (ITC) says the changing consumer preferences for natural health products such as wild fruits and natural herbs has presented a niche that exporters in many least-developed countries are looking to develop for sustainable production and export trade.
Traditional healthcare practitioners, traditional healers and consumption at the household level have all contributed to demand for traditional medicinal plants and herbs. The growing demand for herbs also comes from diverse use of products that include conventional and traditional medicine, food supplements, dietary supplements and cosmetics.
Apart from household level use, ITC says, “there is a clear industrial demand for medicinal and aromatic plants, thanks to the increased production of herbal healthcare formulations; herb-based cosmetic products and herbal nutritional supplements”.
There is, therefore, an emerging market for wild fruits and herbs in regional and international markets that could offer opportunities for local businesses and rural communities. Since the international market for these products is still small — although with potential to grow — there is no better time than now for local businesses and communities to identify ways to export wild fruits and natural herbs, and secure markets, which could be soon saturated by suppliers from the rest of the continent.
As most of the wild fruits and natural herbs grow in the wild, the cost of producing related export products is lower, which makes it easy, even for rural communities, women and youths to take part in economic activities that will earn them foreign currency.
There is also a need to establish strong synergies between businesses and communities that will create upstream and downstream economic activities around exporting wild fruits and natural herbs.
Potential products
Health consciousness is now a global trend, prompting many to be selective in their diet. Demand for traditional foods is gaining momentum due to high health benefits associated with them.
Fortunately, Zimbabwe is endowed with a conducive environment and climate for the growth of a niche set of wild fruits and traditional herbs that hardly grow in other parts of the world.
Some of wild fruits include mauyu (baobab), masau (Ziziphus mauritiana), matohwe (Azanza garckeana) and natural herbs such as zumbani (Lippia javanica), muhacha (hissing tree) and moringa.
These wild fruits and herbs can go through value addition, packaging and branding that can make it easy for exporters to earn more.
Products like baobab powder have grown in popularity in export markets. Baobab powder is popularly used in supplements, capsules and food products. It is considered the latest super food, with projections of demand growing globally to US$10 billion by 2027. Arid regions such as the Mudzi district (Mashonaland East) can benefit from baobab fruit harvesting.
They can play a critical role as raw baobab powder suppliers along the value chain.
Baobab powder can be sold raw or used to produce ice cream, baked goods and refreshing juice shakes that can be neatly packaged in cans or plastic-coated paper boards to meet international standards.
Research on the benefits of the baobab tree showed that the pulp is a rich source of Vitamin C (which helps to fight common colds), antioxidants and other key minerals like potassium, iron, zinc and magnesium.
The baobab kernel and seeds contain high fibre, fat and micronutrients encompassing thiamine, calcium and iron.
The seeds can also be crushed to produce oil, which is used for skin care as an anti-ageing agent or hair conditioner.
Regarding potential in export markets, indications are that baobab fruit products have huge potential in European markets such as Italy. During the Macfrut 2022, the largest fruit and vegetable exhibition show in Italy, Zimbabwe-produced baobab juice was a major hit among potential buyers in the country and the rest of Europe.
At the fair, ZimTrade facilitated exhibition by 10 local companies, and these were told by potential buyers of the changing consumer dynamics in Europe, where focus is now on previously underrated products such as wild fruits. Apart from Italy, where buyers indicated potential for baobab products, markets such as Germany, France and the United Kingdom are big on organic foods. These are lucrative markets to consider. There are local players who are already exporting baobab powder to Germany and Switzerland.
These established routes can be used to penetrate more international markets.
Regarding natural herbs, products that can fare very well in export markets include aloe vera, apple mint, borage, penny royal, calendula and basil.
These herbs are known to be useful for those dealing with ailments such as hepatitis, fibroids, herpes zoster, respiratory infections, nausea, kidney and bladder inflammation. Further, demand for natural herbs has grown across the world, creating opportunities for Zimbabwean businesses.
For example, there has been an increase in demand and use of zumbani as a home remedy for Covid-19 and flu-related illnesses. The popularity of the herb has seen new ways in its uptake, including steaming and the use of its leaves for tea.
Entrepreneurs have packaged zumbani in an attractive way, targeting the upmarket consumer.
This has worked in increasing the value of the product that can be found in the wild.
The same product can be easily adapted to target foreign markets, and this can be done through value addition, packaging and labelling.
Allan Majuru is ZimTrade’s chief executive officer
