HARARE, May 22 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe needs to boost its capacity to comply with sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards to fully benefit from China's zero-tariff policy, the country's Competition and Tariff Commission (CTC) said Friday.
The CTC said in its 2026 first-quarter report released Friday that China's offer to remove tariffs on imports from 53 African countries with diplomatic ties, including Zimbabwe, will enhance the country's competitiveness in the Chinese market.
"As product coverage broadens and tariff barriers fall, horticulture is emerging as a strategic component of the Zimbabwe-China trade relationship, setting the stage for increased volumes, deeper commercial partnerships and a more diversified export base," the CTC said.
The commission emphasized that Zimbabwean exporters must comply with stringent SPS requirements to fully exploit the vast Chinese market, adding that SPS measures have emerged as technical gatekeepers in global agricultural trade.
"For developing countries such as Zimbabwe, the capacity to comply with SPS requirements is therefore just as critical as tariff preferences in determining actual export performance," the CTC noted in the report.
To convert the Zimbabwe-China protocols into broad-based growth, the CTC called for strengthening of domestic SPS capacity and promotion of inclusive value chains through out-grower schemes, contract farming and cooperative models.
"With targeted investments in compliance systems, inclusive value chains and market diversification, SPS protocols can shift from being barriers to becoming enablers, positioning Zimbabwean producers not only to enter the Chinese market duty-free but to remain competitive as a trusted, high-quality choice for consumers," the CTC said.
