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Herald Reporter
President Mnangagwa is expected to visit Chimanimani and Chipinge this Friday where he will tour export-related projects, as the country enhances efforts to generate foreign exchange.

This was said by Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa while delivering the 18th Cabinet decision matrix yesterday.

“On a related matter, Cabinet was advised that President Mnangagwa would tour some export-oriented industries in Chimanimani and Chipinge on Friday morning,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

One of the major projects in Chimanimani district is an organic pineapples project for export markets that is being spearheaded by Zimbabwe’s trade promotion body, ZimTrade, in conjunction with a Netherlands company involved in a pilot project assisting Chimanimani farmers.

ZimTrade has noted that there was a ready market for organic pineapples in the Netherlands and Chimanimani was naturally poised to produce quality produce.

Minister Mutsvangwa said Cabinet considered and approved the Zimbabwe National Trade Policy and Export Promotion Strategy presented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Trade and International Cooperation, Dr Sibusiso Moyo.

The policy proposes an Exports Roadmap that will realise US$7 billion worth of exports by 2023 and US$14 billion in export value by 2030.

“The Trade Policy and Exports Strategy acknowledges the need to promote mutually beneficial trade with external parties, while simultaneously taking into account the challenges that impact on local industry as well as the country’s bilateral, regional and multilateral obligations,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

Some of the objectives of the policy and national export strategy is to promote free and fair trade, promote export-led production and industrialisation, diversification of export products and markets to increase the national export of goods by at least 10 percent annually from US$4,5 billion in 2018 to US$7 billion in 2023 and improve the balance of trade position by at least 10 percent annually.

Minister Mutsvangwa said Cabinet received a report from Minister of State for Presidential Affairs and Monitoring Implementation of Government Programmes, Dr Joram Gumbo on selected projects under the 5th 100-Day Cycle Priority Projects.

“The purpose of the visit was to expedite implementation as well as publicise Government projects that are under implementation in the country’s various provinces,” she said.