Business Writer
Zimbabwe recorded a US$637.4 million trade surplus during the first nine months of 2026, marking a significant turnaround from the US$763.9 million deficit recorded during the same period last year.
Buy Zimbabwe welcomed the development, describing it as an encouraging sign of improving external trade performance and the potential of the country’s productive sectors to generate export earnings.
The improvement represents a positive shift of approximately US$1.4 billion in Zimbabwe’s trade position, raising hopes that the country could end 2026 with an annual trade surplus if the current positive trend is sustained.
According to statistics released by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT), exports increased by 72.6 percent year-on-year to US$4.50 billion in the third quarter of 2026, compared to US$2.61 billion recorded during the corresponding period in 2025.
Imports also increased by 41.7 percent, rising from US$2.55 billion to US$3.61 billion.
However, the faster growth in exports helped Zimbabwe record a quarterly trade surplus of US$892.8 million, compared to US$60 million during the same period last year.
Buy Zimbabwe chairman Munyaradzi Hwengwere (pictured) said the improvement demonstrated the importance of strengthening domestic production and export capacity.
“The movement from a US$763.9 million trade deficit in 2025 to a US$637.4 million surplus in 2026 is a significant development for our economy. This demonstrates the potential of our productive sectors to generate export earnings and strengthen the country’s external position,” said Hwengwere.
“However, we must ensure that this progress translates into stronger local industries, increased investment, employment creation and greater participation by Zimbabwean businesses in the economy.”
Hwengwere said the country needed to build on the positive performance by strengthening local value addition, promoting domestic procurement and reducing reliance on imported goods that could be competitively produced locally.
He said prioritising locally manufactured products would help expand domestic production, create employment opportunities and retain more value within the economy.
Economist Dr Persistence Gwanyanya said the improvement in the trade balance presented an opportunity to strengthen the broader economy through productive investment and economic diversification.
“The turnaround in the trade balance is a positive development, particularly when viewed against the deficit recorded during the same period last year. The key priority now is to sustain this performance by expanding productive capacity across different sectors,” said Gwanyanya.
“There is need to invest in infrastructure, energy, agriculture and manufacturing, while strengthening local value addition.”
Meanwhile, Buy Zimbabwe is set to host Buy Zimbabwe Week in Harare from November 23 to 28, 2026.
The event is expected to bring together manufacturers, businesses, policymakers and consumers to showcase locally produced goods, promote domestic procurement, encourage value addition and create market opportunities for Zimbabwean companies.