ZIMBABWE has charmed international buyers with its basket of nutrient-rich organic products displayed at the recently held Middle East Organic and Natural Products Expo in Dubai.
The expo ran from November 17 – 19.
The National Trade Development and Promotion Organisation of Zimbabwe (ZimTrade) revealed that interest in the country’s unique, nutrient-rich offerings continued to grow, as global consumers look for authentic and wholesome products that support healthy living.
ZimTrade communications manager, Mr Danai Majaha, said Zimbabwe’s participation highlighted the country’s growing capacity in high-value natural products, particularly in organic honey, moringa-based health and wellness items, cold-pressed oils, traditional Zimbabwean foods, nutritious snacks and natural fruit spreads.
“These product categories have shown significant alignment with consumer trends in the United Arab Emirates, where demand for clean-label, functional and immunity-enhancing products continues to rise.
“The exhibiting companies represented various segments of Zimbabwe’s expanding natural products ecosystem, each demonstrating strong potential for export growth within the UAE and broader Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) markets,” he said.
The country also has moringa powders, capsules, teas, oils and other nutraceuticals under the health and wellness sector and these drew interest from specialised health stores and wellness retailers seeking high-potency, plant-based products.
Mr Majaha said under the natural sweeteners and spreads, Zimbabwean honey and fruit-based spreads appealed to importers serving supermarkets, hotels and the hospitality sector, where authenticity and natural processing were valued.
“Unique Zimbabwean food products and traditional snacks under the traditional and specialty foods grouping resonated with buyers looking for niche, heritage-rich foods suitable for Dubai’s multicultural consumer base.
“The natural oils and beauty products, such as cold-pressed essential oils and natural skin-care offerings, attracted distributors in the cosmetic and organic beauty segments, which continue to grow rapidly across the GCC,” he said.
Zimbabwe’s essential oils are sourced from a wide range of plants, including baobab, marula, mongongo, moringa, eucalyptus, zumbani, lemongrass, rosemary, patchouli and other aromatic or oil-rich species harvested both from the wild and through smallholder cultivation.
The country director of a local non-governmental organisation, DanChurchAid, Mr Mads Schack Lindegaard, said Zimbabwe could earn more from the export of value-added organic sesame.
He said this on the sidelines of a recent business engagement between a high-level Danish delegation and local players.
Mr Lindegaard said Denmark was a ready market for the niche organic sesame produced by Zimbabwe and urged local producers to process and export value-added products.
“What we are trying to do is to set up value addition production in Zimbabwe from Denmark’s advanced value addition industry. This will create more employment opportunities for locals as well as increase capital earnings.
“Why export sesame seed instead of processing it into oil for a higher premium of its products,” he said.-herald
