Africa’s Fresh Produce Exports Reshape Growth Strategy

Zimbabwe’s booming blueberry industry illustrates how agriculture could become a new engine of African industrialization. Growers expect to export 12,000 tons of blueberries this year, 40 times the volume recorded in 2017, with demand particularly strong in Asia and Europe. The farms increasingly resemble sophisticated factories, using advanced seeds, protective coverings, cold storage, and optical sorting technology to achieve the best results. Similar trends are emerging across the continent. For instance, South Africa overtook Spain to become the world’s largest citrus exporter in May. Kenya and Ethiopia have similarly built globally competitive flower industries. These businesses create jobs, stimulate logistics and research, and generate downstream industries—benefits long associated with manufacturing, an area where sub-Saharan Africa has struggled to gain ground. While infrastructure gaps, security concerns, and non-tariff trade barriers limit growth, experts argue that with better policy support and market access, African agribusiness could become a genuine driver of broader economic development.