Zimbabwean horticulture exporters are grappling with sharply rising freight costs linked to the Iran war, threatening the livelihoods of thousands of small-scale farmers and undermining the recovery of one of the country’s key agricultural sectors.
Inside a bustling fresh-produce packaging facility in northern Harare, dozens of women in green coats and matching caps sort and pack sugar snap peas bound for supermarkets and restaurants in Europe.
But despite the lively atmosphere, exporters say the new season has begun under intense pressure as conflict in the Middle East disrupts cargo routes and pushes up transport expenses.
“We are paying much more this year to get products to London and Amsterdam,” said Clarence Mwale, chief executive of Kuminda, a company that aggregates produce from around 5,000 smallholder farmers across Zimbabwe.
Mwale said export costs had climbed to about US$3.80 per kilogram this year, compared with between $2 and US$2.20 per kilogram in 2025, mainly due to higher fuel prices and flight disruptions.
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The Iran war has affected air routes and reduced cargo capacity, particularly on flights passing through the Gulf region, exporters said. Shipments to the United Arab Emirates have also been disrupted.
Zimbabwe is a major supplier of sugar snap peas and mange tout to Europe, especially during the northern hemisphere off-season between April and October.
According to the British embassy in Harare, Zimbabwe supplies about 60 percent of the United Kingdom’s sugar snap pea imports during that period.
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However, exporters warn that higher freight costs are weakening Zimbabwe’s competitiveness against rivals such as Kenya, Egypt and producers in South America.
“They have more flight options and lower freight charges,” Mwale said. “At the moment we are paying significantly more.”
To reduce costs, some exporters have turned to sea freight, although the longer shipping time poses risks for highly perishable produce.
“Sea freight helps, but it takes roughly 30 days, and maintaining quality over that period is a challenge,” Mwale added.
The increased costs come as Zimbabwe’s horticulture industry has been rebuilding after years of decline triggered by the chaotic land reform programme launched under former president Robert Mugabe in the early 2000s.
The seizures of white-owned commercial farms devastated agricultural production and contributed to a broader economic collapse.
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In recent years, however, the sector has shown signs of recovery under President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who has sought to revive agriculture and improve relations with commercial farmers and investors.
Zimbabwe’s horticulture exports reached a record US$181.7 million in 2025, according to national trade promotion agency ZimTrade, surpassing the previous peak of US$140 million recorded in 1999 before the land seizures.
Blueberries accounted for a large share of the export earnings, but peas, flowers and citrus products also remain important foreign currency earners.
Industry leaders fear the latest spike in transport costs could slow the recovery and squeeze already thin profit margins for farmers.
The Horticultural Development Council (HDC), an industry body representing growers and exporters, has urged the government to provide targeted support.
“We need measures that reduce the burden on exporters and protect farmer incomes,” said HDC chief executive Linda Nielsen.
She called for tax relief on agricultural inputs such as packaging materials, faster value-added tax refunds and reductions in fuel levies to help offset the rising costs.
Many small-scale farmers depend on horticulture exports as a major source of income, particularly in rural communities where employment opportunities are limited.
Analysts say prolonged instability in global transport and fuel markets could have serious consequences for export-oriented agriculture across Africa.
For Zimbabwe’s farmers, the concern is that a recovery decades in the making could be derailed by a crisis far beyond their borders.
“We are trying to stay competitive,” Mwale said. “But if costs continue rising, it becomes harder for farmers to survive.”
